Prelude - This Tuesday is the last day teams can add a player to their roster for before the playoffs start. It means teams that won't make the playoffs trade players whose contracts are about to finish in order to get a player for next year in return. This year, the Leafs Mats Sundin was the most talked about player facing these conditions. Everyone was wondering would he go or not? On Sunday, Mats made his mind up.
Sport - Hockey
Event - Mats Sundin announces Sunday that he would not waive his no-movement clause, meaning he will play the rest of the season with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Point to say - "Did you hear that Sundin is staying with the Leafs after all?"
Follow up point - "He's a free agent next year. Do you think Toronto will resign him?"
Get out of the conversation - "So, did you end up watching the Oscars?"
Backgrounder
Mats Sundin has been with the Leafs since 1994. He has played 970 games for the Leafs. His contract with the Leafs ends after this season. He is the face of the franchise since Doug Gilmour left.
With the Leafs being so bad this year, and Mats only having a few season left before retirement, the question was, would be wave part of his contract that guaranteed him an input into where he would go if he were to be traded in order to play on a potential Stanley Cup winner.
Many contracts these days have something called a no-trade clause. Players will take this in order to stop moving every few years. Managers use this as additional enticement to sign a player.
Links
Here is a great take on the 'no-trade clause' by a former hockey player.
Here is a recap of Mats decision.
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