Faceoff Factor

To retire or not to retire, that is the question

Ashley Gallant | National Hockey League

Aug 2, 12:06 AM | Hype this story!

What do players like Mats Sundin, Joe Sakic, and Peter Forsberg have in common?

They are all superstar players, unrestricted free agents, and unsure of whether they are going to retire this summer or not.

While fans want to know if their favourite players are going to sign with an NHL club, we also don’t want our own Brett Favre situation on our hands.

Some players should probably retire now, rather than try to play through injuries that never get better (i.e. Forsberg).

Others need to decide whether they can give it another go. This is presumably where Sakic and Sundin are at.

It was reported a few weeks ago that Sundin would make his decision known today, but he has indicated that it will only be made before training camp.

As those left on the outside, we can only guess what is going on in their heads. Have they made their decisions already and are just holding out, or are they truly unsure of what to do?

Steve Yzerman gave his two cents to The Canadian Press today.

“If there’s any doubt and guys aren’t sure, I think they should be playing,” Yzerman said. “You can be retired for the rest of your life. You’ll know when you’re done.”

“If you’re not 100 per cent certain that you don’t want to play anymore, then the decision is that you should be playing.”

Hopefully players like Sakic and Sundin will not hang up their skates unless and until they are completely sure that it’s the right decision to make.

It appears as though they are physically able to play and contribute to their respective teams next season, but do they have the desire to play?