Okay. I was wrong about Mats

I admit. I was wrong. I said, "Mats Sundin will never be a Canuck" and here he is. I don't believe the hype that this is enough to get them to win a Stanley Cup but it's a serious piece. And the way cap space and player relationships were managed to get here shows that maybe I was wrong, too, about Mike Gillis being the wrong guy for GM. Somehow Alain Vigneualt has become more than a defensive co-ordinator but the on-ice product still has holes either from injury (boy, is Sami Salo susceptible to injuries!) or form lack of energy (up 3-0 against Edmonton two nights ago, the Cannots nearly snatched an overtime loss from the jaws of victory).

Will Mr. Sundin make such a big difference? After the much touted arrival of Mark Messier (which felt like the wrong move from day 1 -- but then I've never much liked Keenan as a coach either), much was expected, little delivered. But I have to admit that we didn't just get Sundin because nobody else wanted him. We got him because our GM knew what he wanted under the tree back in July and did whatever it took to get here. Now, with other injuries freeing up further cap space, perhaps a rugged defenceman to make the injuries mean less? The return, perhaps of Jovanovski? But maybe we can even do better than that.

I'll admit something else, too. I'm more optimistic about this team's chances to go deep into the playoffs than I have been for the last two seasons.

Sundin still not here

It seems reality is finally hitting the local sports media. Sundin will never be a Canuck. It won't happen. He's been in the Eastern Conference too long and he would vastly prefer to have an opportunity to stick it to the Leafs before the Stanley Cup Final, to play alongside other aging Swedes, perhaps, in New York, maybe even join one of the glamour shows in Washington, Ottawa or Pittsburgh? But to put up with Western Conference travel schedules in his declining years as a player? Naaah. I never quite believed it and I doubt it even more now.

Sundin will never be a Canuck. If it matters to you, get that into your thick skull. And count your blessings that we don't spend $23M per annum on one player like the Yankees did today.

Don Taylor made me laugh

One of the regular features at 5:00 PM PST/PDT on our local sports radio station the Team 1040, is "Pratt & Taylor's High Five at 5". One of the stories that made it onto the list today was an allegation by Terrell Owens of the Dallas Cowboys that his quarterback, Tony Romo, was conspiring with the slotback to belittle his contribution to the team. Taylor's comment: "Does he have an imaginary friend, too?" I laughed.