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Mats Sundin makes his feelings about playing for Toronto Maple Leafs franchise extremely clear

Modified Oct 17, 2024 16:51 GMT

Mats Sundin spent the majority of his iconic hockey career playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. It is an honor he cherishes and believes is one of the best parts of it, which ended when he retired in 2009 after 18 years in the league.

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Sundin reflected on his tenure with pride.

“It’s really impossible to describe until you wear the jersey and go out for a game," Sundin said, via Leafslatest on Thursday. "You begin to understand the fanbase and the love for the team—not only in Toronto or Ontario, but even in places like LA, where half the building cheers for the Maple Leafs. You go to Tampa or Florida, and it’s the same thing. In Calgary, there are almost as many Leafs fans in the building."

Sundin added that anywhere the Leafs traveled, "half the crowd was cheering" for his team. He compared it to the New York Yankees, Barcelona and Real Madrid. The fans travel no matter where the team is playing.

"The Toronto Maple Leafs are an institution in Canada, Ontario, and Toronto," Sundin said. "Playing for the Maple Leafs is like nothing else in hockey.”

Not many have stronger feelings about one of their former teams than Sundin. He landed in the Hall of Fame and also played for the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks.

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Mats Sundin reflected on the current Maple Leafs (Getty)

“It was nice – Brad Treliving invited me to training camp," Sundin said, via The Hockey News on Tuesday. "I was there with the team for, I think, five or six days. I got to travel with the team to an exhibition game against Montreal and watch them at home against the Canadiens and it was really nice to get close with the group.”

He added that he got to hang out with the Maple Leafs' new coach Craig Berube and described this group of players, from Auston Matthews to Joseph Woll, as "very special."