Published 2024-10-18 07.00
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Mats Sundin was in the middle of a successful career with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
At eleven in the evening he was woken up by an unknown voice, rough and calm: “If you play tomorrow, you’re dead.”.
“My head was spinning. I didn’t think I would be able to sleep more that night,” writes “Sudden”.
At the age of 53, Mats Sundin tells about the hitherto unknown event in the biography “Tur och retur – My story”.
Every night he had the same evening routine at home in the apartment on Bloor Street, he went to bed before eleven o’clock.
He checked that the door was locked, turned off all the lights and brushed his teeth while his mind often wandered to hockey.
One winter evening during the 1998/1999 season, he was lying in bed and about to fall asleep when the darkness was dissolved by a blue glow because the phone rang.
The man on the other end threatened him with death and then immediately ended the call.
“The heart was pounding. I turned on the lamp, sat up in bed and listened intently to all the sounds around me,” writes Mats Sundin.
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full screen Mats “Sudden” Sundin releases an autobiography. Photo: Magnus Wennman
Extra security in the arena
He called Paul, who was a retired police officer and head of security for the Toronto Maple Leafs: “Lock all the doors and turn off the phone, Mats. I won’t call again until tomorrow morning, so don’t answer any calls. Try to get some sleep.”
Finally he fell asleep, when the alarm clock rang at seven in the morning it felt as if he had been up all night.
Paul called and asked him to come to the warm-up as usual, there he would feel safe and they would discuss the situation with the NHL.
There, Mats Sundin was told that he would play the match as usual and that they would have extra security in place in the arena after the evaluation with the league management.
“I didn’t want to hear that voice in my head and wonder how he got my number. The rest of the day I was at full throttle. The slightest sound made me flinch. Standing on the blue line at the pregame ceremony, I looked up at the crowd. I never used to do that otherwise. I had never felt unsafe in the arena before or worried about who was in the audience. During the first changes I felt worried”, writes Mats Sundin.
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full screen Mats Sundin in Toronto. Photo: Bildbyrån / Bildbyrån
“Of course I was cut”
Finally the tension released, he played well and the Toronto Maple Leafs won the game.
– It is clear that I was cut when I went to bed there in the evening as a 27-28-year-old. In retrospect, you realize that maybe it was someone who had bet money on the match or something. At least that’s how the speculation went. I never heard anything from the man again, says “Sudden”.
He compares the interest in the Toronto Maple Leafs to the biggest clubs in the world such as Barcelona, Manchester United and the New York Yankees.
– It is complex and difficult to be a player in the Toronto Maple Leafs given the enormous interest compared to other teams. It will be a different pressure and make it a little more difficult, says “Sudden”.
The draft pick from Djurgården had an NHL career of 13 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs (ten of them as captain), four seasons with the Quebec Nordiques and one season with the Vancouver Canucks.
The book is written together with Amy Stuart from Toronto, she is an author and head coach of a youth ice hockey team.
It is available from October 22.
Mats Sundin: A Night to Remember
Published 2024-10-18 07.00
Mats Sundin was in the middle of a successful career with the Toronto Maple Leafs when an ominous phone call changed everything.
Imagine being roused from your beauty sleep by a gravelly, calm voice uttering, “If you play tomorrow, you’re dead.” Sounds like a line straight out of an action movie, right? Instead, it was just a regular Tuesday night for Mats Sundin who, at 53, reveals this shocking event in his autobiography “Tur och retur – My story.” For a guy used to hitting the ice, this was a strangely chilling moment that was anything but routine. Talk about putting the ‘sudden’ in Sundin!
Extra Security in the Arena
Mats had a typical evening routine—check the locks, turn off the lights, and ponder life’s big questions, like “Why do they call it a building when it’s already built?” But on that fateful winter night, as he was settling down, the tranquility was broken by a ring of doom… I mean, a phone call that set his heart racing faster than a puck flying past a goalie!
After the threatening call, Sundin did what any sensible person would do: he called Paul, his retired police officer friend and the head of security for the Toronto Maple Leafs. “Lock all the doors and turn off the phone,” he advised. “Don’t answer any calls.” Brilliant advice! If only all advice was that simple—like, “If you’re ever in a rom-com, just don’t fall in love.”
Game Day: What’s Safety Without Pressure?
Fast forward to game day, Sundin found himself wrestling with a sense of dread as he stepped onto the ice. The weight of the world—or at least the weight of Toronto’s expectations—was on his shoulders. He was concerned not just about the game, but about the potential stalker lurking in the crowd. I mean, can you imagine? “Hey, Mats, remember me from last night? I’m not a fan; I’m a threat!”
Nevertheless, Sundin put on a brave face and delivered a performance as sharp as his skates, leading the Maple Leafs to victory. Afterward, in retrospective wisdom, he mused, “Of course I was cut when I went to bed there in the evening.” Not talking about his playing skills, folks, but the sheer pressure and possibly the shadiness of match-fixing rumors that came with it. Who knew sports could have as much drama as a low-budget daytime soap?
The Price of Fame
In his reflections, Sundin doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the intense scrutiny of being a player for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He compared the pressure to playing for the world’s biggest clubs—think Barcelona, Manchester United, and the New York Yankees. And let’s be honest, it’s no walk in the park. Being in the spotlight means dealing with the odd death threat, right? Normal stuff!
The man’s got a point, though. With success comes a side order of anxiety, a sprinkle of danger, and a heavy dose of attention from every corner of the ice rink. But if it were easy, everyone would do it—like going for a jog or eating a salad and feeling good about it! In Sundin’s world, that pressure was palpable, yet he stood strong, like a well-above-average wooden stick attempting to break through solid concrete. Spoiler alert: It didn’t break!
As Sundin’s autobiography “Tur och retur – My story” hits the shelves on October 22, readers can dive deep into the mind of a 13-season hockey veteran who faced threats, embraced pressure, and skated his way through a career shrouded in the complexities of fame.
So, whether you’re a die-hard Leafs fan or just curious about the man who faced a threat and turned it into a success story, Sundin’s journey is worth the read. Just remember, if a mysterious voice calls you tonight, it might just be your conscience reminding you to call it a night!
