Vanilla pudding

Well, I thought I would be irrationally angry at Mats Sundin when he signed with a team other than the Canadiens. Irrational because really, what did Sundin do wrong? Nothing of course. He was a free agent who entertained offers and chose the one he preferred. But angry despite its irrationality because he shunned Bob Gainey and the Habs to go for bigger money or, worse, the bloody free-agent vacuum that is the New York Rangers instead. But now that the deal is done, I feel nothing. Not anger, not relief the saga is over, not jealousy, not scorn. Nothing.

I think if Sundin had actually signed with the Rangers, I would feel the hate. Not just because we'd have to see him five more times this season, rubbing our noses in the fact that he didn't want our team. But also because the Rangers get everyone. I don't think I could graciously accept them unloading one previously-coveted free agent in order to make room for another one...both of whom picked New York over Montreal. But now that the big bald Swede has chosen Vancouver, I feel zilch. Well...maybe a mild disdain that he really wanted to play in New York. Even though they couldn't free up the cap space for him, the intent was there. For the actual signing in Canuck-land, however...there's nothing.

For me now, Sundin is just another phony hockey player who says one thing and does another. He's just another face in the faceless crowd that is the Vancouver Canucks. You just can't hate the Canucks. They can go on some hot streaks, and Luongo is usually great, but you just know they're not going to do anything dramatic, Mats or not. They're not likely to beat the Sharks or the Wings or the Ducks, so what is there to hate? I suppose if the Habs met the Canucks in the Cup finals, I'd have to work up some sort of emotion about them. But right now, Sundin might as well be playing poker on a cruise ship somewhere. I don't care. Vancouver is the vanilla pudding of the NHL, and Mats is welcome to dine on it for the rest of his indecisive life.