Mats Sundin in “An Evening for Puri” and life after his hockey career
On Wednesday, it’s time for the “An Evening of Purée” fundraiser.
Mats Sundin, 52, is an ambassador for the Börje Salming ALS Foundation.
– It was clear when I was asked the question. He was a great idol and mentor to me, “surprise,” he says.
In 1995, just over five years after Boreh Salming covered the last shot and scored his last point for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mats Sundin took over the city known as the Mecca of hockey.
Surprise has spent 13 consecutive years in Toronto and has been the team captain for the past 10 years. Börje was always by his side, as a friend and sounding board.
– it was very important. In addition to helping me with hockey, I’m still going, 27 years later, and hunting every summer in a good spot he helped me find in Kironavjalen, says Mats Sundin when Sportbladet sits with him before the fundraising gala “An Evening for Purée” at Burns in Stockholm On Wednesday 26 April.
After their careers, they continued to keep in touch and ran into each other from time to time.
– It wasn’t like we’d been hanging out every single day for all these years. But he was always there during my career and supported me.
Supports ALS research
Börje passed away on November 24 last year and Mats is today an ambassador for the Börje Salming ALS Foundation, which aims to support ALS research and relatives of sufferers.
He was next to Börje at one of his last performances, in connection with the Honors on Ice at the Air Canada Center in Toronto.
– It was awful, I must say. I spoke to Börje’s wife Pia a week or so ago and she said he has deteriorated considerably lately. I was so sad, but at the same time it was so good to be there. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Hockey Hall of Famers did a great job because the weekend really went in Börje’s favour.
In February, Mats played a “Game for Börje” tribute game in Gävle between veteran teams from Tre Kronor and the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he was captain of the team. All the excess went into the search for ALS and a total of nine million crowns were collected during the day.
– It was great too. Everyone involved – Brynäs and the Legends team – did an amazing job. TV4 did a great job of broadcasting so people could donate money and not only honor Porgy as a person and as an ice hockey player, but also shed light on this disease.
When Börje Salming’s whip was lifted before the game, Jon Henrik Fjällgren came out onto the ice and touched everyone with Gowick.
Including Mats Sundin.
– He’s a great artist. I also think his articulation and his vocals really capture Sammy’s voice which Porgy Salming has always been so proud of. I thought he captured that in a very nice way.
Father of three: “It’s easier to play in the NHL”
You yourself have roots in Tornedalen and would like to be there?
– Yes, that’s strange. The older you get, the more drawn there you are. My mother is from Tornedalen, so I spent my summers there as a child. Since moving home from Canada, I’ve been there in the fall and hunted elk and fished a bit in the summer. Sometimes you’re up during Easter and riding a scooter, too.
Mats Sundin is the founder of IMR (Institute for People in Motion) and greets us at their headquarters in central Stockholm, where barbells and barbells coexist in space with desks and computer screens.
He also co-founded the Mats Sundin Fellowship, a collaboration between the Karolinska Institutet and the University of Toronto that promotes research in health and disease in human development. included. He’s also a father of three, in other words, who has no problems filling his daily life.
– I usually jokingly tell my wife that it was easy to play in the NHL. It’s full speed and we have three amazing kids who we’re incredibly proud of. Their activities and development are followed. There is no problem making the days and months go by.
Do any of them play hockey?
– Our middle man has now begun. A little late, he is already eight years old. But he said to me last fall: Dad, now I want to start playing hockey, and I said you’re welcome to do it.
Mats laughs.
Most of the others have been at it for a couple of years already, but he thinks it’s fun. In addition, there is football, tennis, dancing, piano and everything else that children want to do.
Plays Hockey Regularly: “Rhythm In”
Do you play anything yourself?
– I actually picked it up a bit more this year again. I’m trying to catch some recreational hockey. It was fun. CCM has time in Ritorp in Solna where they have their staff, some old NHL players and some who played in the SHL and Hockey Allsvenskan. It’s so much fun and I try to play about an hour a week.
How are you on the ice?
– I think the beats are already there. It’s not harder to sign up now when you’re 52 than when you were active.
But maybe the rear view will suffer?
– very funny! You will definitely suffer. Ice hockey is very hard, you know. How can I continue to do this professionally for as many years as I have? But at the same time it is very interesting.
Do you get a lot of requests to get involved in hockey in different ways?
– No, they probably stopped asking me in recent years. I had a few at first when I stopped playing. When you get older, you realize that life may not be that long. I have devoted many incredible years to ice hockey. I still love ice hockey and always will, but I also know what it’s like to take on a role in an SHL club or otherwise as a captain, coach, or athletic director. It means a huge commitment and I don’t see that I have that time today.
Rare interviews
You do not see that you are often interviewed in the media. Is it intentional?
– No, I don’t have much to say, Mats laughs and separates:
– I got my dose of it when I was active and captain in Toronto. At that time, you were seeing a lot of journalists on a daily basis and there was a lot of media interest in this. Same when I was on Tre Kronor etc. So there is nothing else I am looking for.
Are there any former national team colleagues or players that you have been in contact with today?
– Peter (Forsberg) and I run into each other sometimes in different contexts. Niklas Lidström is a member of the Board of Directors of the Börje Salming Foundation, so I have some contacts with him. And also Frederic Modine, who I played with, but he lives in the United States. Daniel Alfredsson… I have a little contact with some, but no one you hang out with much. The only former player I have a lot of contact with is Ulf Dahlén, who lives in Östersund.
He also has a hunting interest?
– Yes, he’s a hunter and we already have trotting horses together too. For old players, Olaf is probably the one I communicate with the most.
Jurgen Johnson liked it
Mats Sundin naturally follows Djurgården into Allsvenskan hockey, but he also has his eye on the SHL.
– Yes, I watched the decisive final match where Vakcho won. I think it was a very good SHL season. The level was better than it has been in many years. Nice to see Växjö and Skellefteå play good hockey. And fun for Jörgen Jönsson, whom I played a lot with in Tre Kronor. He has shown that he is not only a good ice hockey player but also a good coach. It’s a different role and it’s not clear that players make equally good leaders, but he certainly showed it.
Summer is coming, do you have any plans?
– The plans are not completely tragic. We are waiting for school to graduate and then we have a country place in Roslagen I think we will be at most. There will be a trip to Tornedalen, and maybe some fishing this summer.
Mats Sundin comes up with one thing he has to check:
– I’m going to my friend in the village of Talma Sami, PO Svonni, whom Börje called 27 years ago.
