Six contenders could grab Sundin, but at what cost?

Cautionary tale: The Predators paid dearly to rent Peter Forsberg last season, and were sunk in the first round by the Sharks, who have what it takes to land Mats Sundin. Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

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The absolute last thing that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Ferguson, Jr. wants to do is trade Mats Sundin.

It was Ferguson after all who promised his bosses -- apparently with a straight face -- that the Leafs would be a playoff team this season. And while they haven't exactly flourished with the nearly 37-year-old Swede in the lineup, the Leafs would quiver before the might of the Lightning and Capitals without him. Trading the centerpiece of the franchise would be akin to running up the white flag on the season. And that would all but guarantee the end of Ferguson's checkered tenure.

At least that's the way it looks on the surface. Because if Ferguson wants to justify his continued employment and save the franchise, auctioning his star center is exactly what he should do. And the sooner, the better.

Even at his advanced age, Sundin is in the midst of a remarkable season. He stands 12th in the scoring race, his 20 goals and 48 points putting him on pace for his most productive offensive campaign in more than a decade. Unless Atlanta decides to move Marian Hossa, Sundin would be the premier rental on the market and, in a season of parity, could be the player who tilts the balance squarely in favor of the team that acquires him.

Of course, the honor of adding the impending free agent won't come without considerable expense. Consider the rate of return on last season's rentals. Nashville coughed up Scottie Upshall, Ryan Parent and a pair of picks for a few weeks of the wonky-ankled Peter Forsberg. Ryan Smyth cost the Islanders two past and one future first rounder for all of 23 games and a first-round playoff exit. Even Keith Tkachuk attracted a first-, second- and third- rounder for St. Louis...and he's back wearing the blue note this season for a much-improved team.

As long as Ferguson doesn't go the route of Mike O'Connell -- the ex-Boston GM who apparently thought he was tendering a government contract when he accepted San Jose's low bid for Joe Thornton -- he can't afford not to deal with treasure like that to be plundered.

For his part, Sundin has professed a desire to remain in Toronto, even to the point of shooting down any rental gig elsewhere, but that's just the posturing of a good solider. He knows he has no chance of winning a Cup with the Leafs, a realization that had to play into his thinking when he signed a one-year deal last summer. Being a smart guy, Sundin received a no-trade clause as part of the package, which means he can pick the destination of his choice...and then follow the route pioneered by Doug Weight, who returned to the Blues just months after winning the Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes.

That's the ideal scenario for Ferguson and the player. The trick will be finding another GM ready to play cards. In a seller's market, the cost for Sundin is likely to be higher than what teams paid last spring, and as every team but Anaheim learned, no guarantees come with those deals.

Any package has to start with a high-end prospect, a solid depth player and two high picks. Honestly, it might take more than that. So who might be willing to ante up?

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