Mats Sundin's impact on the Maple Leafs stretches beyond the front office, as he's personally taking responsibility for improving the overall player experience.
When the Maple Leafs decided to hire Mats Sundin as a Senior Advisor to GM John Chayka, it was seen as a move to bring a bit of nostalgia back to the team while also adding a former captain and franchise icon who knows how important winning is to the fanbase.
He's been hands on with the prospects, and Sundin has sparked a renewed hope in the Maple Leafs fanbase. But not only that, he's taking personal accountability for ensuring that players experience the best treatment they could possibly get.
Mats Sundin taking full responsibility for improving the Maple Leafs experience
According to TSN's Chris Johnston on The CJ Show, Sundin has his hands all over improving the player experience in Toronto, where he is ensuring that all their facilities are up to date; taking personal accountability in the process:
It sounds like he's been spearheading a lot of changes behind the scenes to some of the facilities the Leafs have to make it better for the players. I think part of his role, especially initially with this new management group, is to change the player experience.
The player experience is something that hasn't really been a headline for the Maple Leafs over recent years, and perhaps that's due to them not really promoting it. There was a clear onus on making things better for players, but it's different.
As a former player, Sundin knows what best encourages a player to become better whether it be more coaching, better facilities, or easier access to resources. It's something only he can really provide perspective on.
Toronto never had a problem with resources, but resource management
The issue with Toronto was never that they couldn't afford the necessary help - they're the most profitable franchise in the entire league worth billions of dollars. But they never really had a leader like Sundin to put their foot down and provide what was needed.
Brendan Shanahan was someone who could have provided what Sundin is currently bringing, and coming from such a powerhouse Detroit team where he won consistently - you'd think he'd have a bigger hand in shaping his player's potential.
Instead, it felt like there were more than enough resources for the players but no one to direct them and say 'this works best.' You wouldn't see Shanahan teaching prospects one-on-one, meanwhile Sundin is front and center.
For all the moves the Maple Leafs made this past offseason, the hiring of Mats Sundin should not be understated.
This is one of the greatest Maple Leaf players of all time - some say the greatest, and if anyone knows what it takes to turn this franchise around it's the man who wore #13 with as much pride as anyone in team history.
Do you think Mats Sundin was what the Maple Leafs were missing in the front office?
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