Mats Sundin is a legend of the game. He scored 564 goals and 785 assists in the NHL over 1,346 games played and is still the only Swede to ever record more than 500 goals in the world’s best league.
He was the first European-born player to be drafted first overall and exceeded the very high expectations placed on him.
Mats Sundin is most remembered for his years with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He served as the team captain for many years and remains the all-time franchise leader in goals and points.
Sundin also played for the Quebec Nordiques and the Vancouver Canucks, alongside legends such as Joe Sakic, Alexander Mogilny, Brian Leetch, Ed Belfour, and Tie Domi.
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With Team Sweden, he played with players like Peter Forsberg and Nicklas Lidstrom, but the best moment of his career came while playing with another icon of the game.
In an interview with the Swedish website Hockeysverige, Sundin revealed that one of the things he remembers most about his career is playing with Guy Lafleur, who finished his career with the Quebec Nordiques.
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Lafleur played his final NHL season the same year Sundin began his career, and the Swede will never forget it.
“I used to say that the biggest thing I ever experienced was playing with Guy Lafleur,” Sundin said. “You start thinking: Am I really that old? But he was playing his final year, and it was an amazing experience to play with him.”
Guy Lafleur was the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in six consecutive seasons. He won five Stanley Cup championships in the 1970s and is the Montreal Canadiens’ all-time leader in scoring, with 1,246 points.
