Game On!

If only Sherlock Holmes was around and covering New York hockey these days. Perhaps then, the Baker Street Sleuth could provide us with some GENUINE clues — as opposed to audacious, usually offside rumors — about the respective fates of Mats Sundin and Brendan Shanahan.

But this much we know for sure: 

• The Sweet Swede is hibernating in some Scandinavian tundra endlessly mulling his future, while agent J.P. Barry deflects inquiries as deftly as Henny Lundqvist does pucks. Will he or won't he return to the NHL? Only The Shadow (alias J.P. Barry) and The Skater know.

• A half-dozen clubs are interested in signing Sundin, the Rangers among them. But "interest" is one thing and hammering out a cap-friendly deal is another.

• Shanahan would rather play hockey than count his money. He likes living in Rangerville, but John Davidson would prefer that Shanny move on to St. Louis and skate for the Blues. One season will do. Brendan would like to take that season and keep it in Mayor Bloomberg's burgh.

Working from the latter issue on up, The Maven believes the reason Shanahan prefers The Apple to The Mound City (alias St. Louis) is that I'm convinced once Brendan hangs up his skates for good, he'd like to take a job with the NHL in its Sixth Avenue office. The Rangers dressing room is a short cab ride from NHL Central.

Let's not forget that during the lockout, Shanny worked hand-in-glove with Gary Bettman, helping the Commissioner to not only successfully forge new NHL rules, but also to help settle the devastating work stoppage that nearly cost us two seasons without big-league hockey. 

Remaining with the Rangers will be more practical for Shanahan since he lives in Manhattan and would be close to NHL headquarters should he want to get his foot in Bettman's door.

Which is all well and good except that we don't know — and maybe won't know for a while — whether Glen Sather wants Shanny back in the lineup and whether there will be room for him, depending on future Sundin shenanigans.

Apart from all the blather that has been bruited about regarding Sundin's future, I find a comment from Toronto-based author ("Three Players Who Have Never Been In My Kitchen") Kevin Gibson most insightful: "I don't think Sundin will make a decision until October. I believe that he's thinking of 'sort-of retiring.' But when the nights get longer and cooler in Sweden, he'll start missing hockey. He's in no rush to do anything. But once the pucks are dropped for real in October, he'll think differently."

As for Mats' infatuation with The Gotham, well, who wouldn't want to play in the Media Mecca? Barry, the rep, puts it well whe he says, "Mats is not denying that he loves New York. All of us do. But Mats has not given any indication (at least not publicly) that he'll be back in the NHL at all."

Fair enough.

The Shanahan puzzle has a different twist, thanks to our old pal John Davidson, the Blues major domo, who is making it clear that the welcome mat — as opposed to Mats — is out for Brendan in St. Lou.

"We've thrown our hat (should be a helmet!) in the ring," declares JD. "When it comes down to it, Brendan has to make a decision that's right for him and his family. It could be New York, but we hope he explores the Blues as a viable option. He would give us depth and experience."

The hope, in Brendan's camp, is another deal with the Rangers, presuming, of course, that he's healthy. We know he's motivated.

Well, if Shanahan doesn't get a green light from Sather, there's no reason why he would turn down the Blues; that is, unless he has a hang-up about St. Louis.

All of which brings us down to a question of BELIEF.

Do you believe the rumors — or generally reliable reps such as Barry?

"I've been straightforward about having had discussions with six or seven teams," says Sundin's man in North America. "And no more, no less with New York."

In plain English, Barry insists that the Rangers being Sundin's preferred team is not true.  

Sherlock Holmes, where are you now that we need you?

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