Revisiting Mats Sundin's Vancouver Canucks Career 15 Years Later

Fifteen years ago today, the Vancouver Canucks made headlines by signing Hall of Famer Mats Sundin to a one-year deal worth $5,626,500. After a 13-year career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in which he set the franchise record for goals and points, the then 37-year-old decided to take his talents to the West Coast in pursuit of a Stanley Cup. While he would only play 41 regular season games, his impact on the Canucks organization would be felt for years to come. 

Starting with his on-ice contributions, Sundin would record 28 points in 41 regular season games, with his biggest moment coming during Vancouver's visit to Toronto. In front of a packed Air Canada Centre crowd, the former Leafs captain would score the shootout winner in a 3-2 Canucks victory. While he would have better statistical nights, his return to Toronto was easily the most memorable performance during his short tenure in Vancouver. 

After helping the Canucks to a Northwest Division title, Sundin played in eight playoff games for Vancouver. In his first playoff appearance since 2003-04, he would record eight points, with six of those coming in Vancouver's second-round loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. A few months after the elimination, he announced his retirement and was later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame alongside former Canuck Pavel Bure as part of the 2012 class. 

While the signing of Sundin had on-ice benefits, the real reason Vancouver pushed hard to sign him was the impact it would have off the ice. Back in 2019, former Canucks general manager Mike Gillis explained that one of the factors behind the signing was the effect it would have on Vancouver's core. Whether it was the Sedin twins and Kesler, who were entering their prime or a younger player like Alex Edler, who was finding his footing in the NHL, having a Hall of Fame player in the locker room that everyone could learn from played a significant factor in the Canucks becoming Stanley Cup contenders just a few years later. 

Looking back, this was a gamble that paid off in multiple ways. Playing beside Kesler and Pavel Demitra allowed for Vancouver to have more balanced scoring while, as mentioned, he also acted as a mentor for many of the players on the team. While the price tag may have been high, bringing in Sundin turned out to be one of the best moves of Gillis' tenure in Vancouver.