Where have you gone Mats Sundin? A Leafs Nation turns its eyes to you.

Lately, I have been thinking about the Leafs and where they are in their progress to win the Stanley Cup. The Leafs have had a strong 10 and 5 record to start the season, but the team is missing something up the middle.  But, in the past it was something was constantly missing at the wing.

Mats Sundin - 1st pick Overall, 1989 

Remember Mats Sundin? He played from 1994 to 2008 for the Leafs and throughout all those years the media and fans cried out for the Maple Leafs to get top line wingers for him to play with.  One season he had a star winger with Alexander Mogilny who joined the team at 32 for the 2001-2002 season. That season they were only developing chemistry, but the following season Mogilny had 79 points and Sundin had 72 points. So, it briefly happened that Sundin had a worthy winger. Mogilny got a major hip surgery the next season and only played 37 games. The following season he went to New Jersey for his last season playing 34 games. Otherwise his wings were decorated with drafted players such as Jonas Hogland, Sergei Berezin, Fredrik Modin, Alexei Ponikarovsky, and Alex Steen.  Or a series of past their prime free agents including Gary Roberts, Owen Nolan, Steve Thomas, Derek King, Mikael Renberg, Darcy Tucker and Jeff O'Neill.

Mats Sundin being honored March 23, 2013 at the ACC

No wonder that Mats Sundin was getting paid $9.5 million a season by the Leafs at the end. Which is still more than Kessel's $8 million deal starting next season.  Now Kessel has the exact opposite problem, no elite centerman.  With Kessel's arrival in 2008, he's had to play with Matt Stajan, Tyler Bozak, Mikhail Grabovski (no chemistry at all), and Nazem Kadri (who is still best on the wing.)  With the trade of Dave Bolland we got someone more clutch at the position and capable of playing both offense and defense.  But, still not a dominant center as compared to 6ft5 Norse God Mats Sundin.  Imagine where on Yonge Street you would be to see the Stanley Cup Parade if we had a young Mats now.

Now with Dave Bolland (unknown return date - had calf surgery) and Tyler Bozak (Nov 21st earliest he can play) injured for several weeks, this hole at center is glaring.  Toronto has the third worst team face-off percentages (45%) and a -8 shot differential on average per game.  Toronto was off to a great start, but the shortcoming at center is now exasperated.  The offensive play is exciting, but if you compare the Leafs to any of the previous Stanley Cup Winners and finalists they all have a star center and star winger.  Then they have at least another strong 2nd center men and another strong winger to go with him.

Makes you wish that the Leafs truly bottomed out like Brian Burke said he wanted to do.  But of course the Leafs Nation could never handle a true bottoming out and the Suits wanted to make sure there pockets remained lined.  So, Burke went and traded for Kessel.  *sigh*  But what if he or John Ferguson Jr had drafted one of these top 3 picks in those truly bad years: Toews, Stamkos, Tavares, Huberdeau, Duchene, RNH, or Taylor Hall. 

Phil Kessel and Tyler Seguin at the 2011-2012 All Star Game

However, Kessel has one advantage over Mats Sundin.  He has a star winger in Joffery Lupul (when healthy) and a player that is fast becoming a star James van Riemsdyk (JVR) to challenge opposing defenses. All three players are in there prime as well.  Kadri still has time to grow as well, but he remains most effective on the wing until he becomes defensively more responsible.  The latest news is JVR is going to try his hand at center to which he had played for 2 seasons for the University of New Hampshire.  He was a second overall pick in the 2007 draft, picked just behind Patrick Kane. Who of course met with his new BFF Jonathan Toews who was drafted third overall in the prior season.  Good old 2006 when we drafted 13th overall and got center Jiri Tlusty.  *sigh*

So, here is my hope that James van Riemsdyk is Mats Sundin in disguise.  We don't have give Kessel an even bigger raise next time to stay in the Blue and White.  

Thoughts? Comments?  Please share them below.