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Sundin pumped to see Leafs in action
By
Lance Hornby, QMI Agency
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  Mats Sundin on the bench during Leafs practice in 2007 (QMI Agency/Michael Peake) |
TORONTO - One day they’ll toast Mats Sundin’s No. 13 banner as it’s raised to the rafters of the Air Canada Centre.
But Saturday, the franchise’s leading scorer will probably be hoisting a beverage of his own, attending a Leafs game as a fan for the first time, since a one-game cameo with Vancouver early in 2009.
“It’s going to be fun, like coming home,” Sundin said earlier this week. “So many great memories, battles ... I left a lot in there. It will be great to watch the Leafs and get the atmosphere in the building. I’ve only seen a couple of games this year, but I like the way they play; upbeat, with good goaltending.”
Sundin is leaving it to the club as to when he’ll be honoured, but there’s no rush. He just agreed to be a part-time club ambassador and is likely to get just scoreboard recognition on Saturday.
But there will be a little touch of Toronto in the dream house he and wife Josephine are building outside of Stockholm. They’ve enlisted a local architect to help design it and saw some drawings while in Toronto this week.
“We’re really looking forward to it,” said Sundin, who sold his huge place in the Avenue Rd. - St. Clair Ave West area a few years ago. “I’ve enjoyed it (married life since 2009) very much.”
Lots of room in the new place for kids?
“We’re working on it,” he said with a laugh.
Sundin looks forward to putting a trunk full of Leafs memoribilia on display when the new place is ready.
“I brought back, sweaters, sticks and pictures,” he said. “I have my stick from my 500th goal (against Calgary’s Miikka Kiprusoff in 2006). That would be my favourite.”
