Taking it to the ‘Mats’ Friday night as Leaf legend Sundin visits for book signing

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NHL great Mats Sundin is a man of many accomplishments. Sundin is a Hockey Hall of Fame member, 500-goal scorer (ended with 564), Olympic Gold Medalist and a three-time world champion. 

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Only the Stanley Cup eluded Sundin’s grasp. 

Now in his early 50’s Sundin has written about his life on and off the ice entitled ‘Home and Away’ and was in North Bay for a book signing on Friday night. 

Why a book and why now, many years after his retirement? 

“Last summer I realized it’s now or never.  I got requests from Canada a few times to write a memoir,” says Sundin.  “While I still remember my childhood and my career, it was a good time to do it,” says a smiling Sundin, adding, “I also wanted to earn a little bit of respect from my kids back home that don’t listen to me.  I hope then can pick up the book in three to five years and say that their dad was a pretty good hockey player.” 

 In 1994 Sundin was traded from the Quebec Nordiques to the Maple Leafs for a package that included the very popular Wendel Clark.  Eventually Sunday would become about as popular with Leaf fans as Clark. 

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It was something to behold when the Leafs made a playoff run remarked Sundin. 

“If I close my eyes I can still picture driving down to the rink in early May.  You’re in the 2nd or 3rd round of the play-offs.  The whole city is wearing blue and white sweaters, some of them over top of their suits going to work on Bay Street (Toronto’s financial district),” says Sundin.  “If you won a playoff game, even if it was game one of a first round series, Younge Street was filled with thousands of fans, kids with Maple Leafs painted on their faces, those were great memories.” 

Hundreds lined up at the Northgate Shopping Centre to get their book and in some cases, a piece of memorabilia signed.  One man even brought a chair from Maple Leafs Gardens, which saw its last Leafs game played over 25 years ago. 

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(Mats Sundin can still draw a crowd-GREG ESTABROOKS)

Martin O’Grady is the owner of the classic seat and brought it to Northgate to get Sundin’s signature on it. 

(Martin O’Grady with a chair from Maple Leaf Gardens to get signed-GREG ESTABROOKS)

“It was a goodwill find,” says O’Grady. “It was from my grandsons who were working there (Maple Leaf Gardens-now the Mattamy Athletic Centre).  This guy came in and gave it to them.” Unlike most of the crowd, O’Grady is old enough to remember the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup from 1962-64 and in 1967.  

“I used to listen to the radio and listen to games.  I’d sit in the kitchen to hear them play,” says O’Grady. 

Even a Montreal Canadiens fan was there to get a Sundin book signed.  But it wasn’t for her, it was for her mother-in-law, says Melissa Stevens. 

“She is 75 and didn’t want to come down here because it’s too late.  I grew up in a Francophone family, so we were all Montreal fans. She is a die-hard Leafs fan and every year she is crossing her fingers (that the Leafs can win the Stanley Cup). 

Sundin never won the Stanley Cup as a player but the hundreds of fans that came to see him on this Friday gave him the rock star treatment. 

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