Toronto's Sundin out for balance to heal

TORONTO, April 2 (UPI) -- Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin announced Wednesday he's not playing any more games this season to allow a groin injury to heal.

At a practice, the 37-year-old told reporters, now the team is out of the playoffs, he wanted to let the injury heal and then spend the summer back in Sweden to contemplate his career, the Toronto Star reported.

He becomes a free agent on July 1, and said while he'd rather not play somewhere else, it was really a management decision.

"We'll have to wait and see, all of us, as to what direction the Toronto Maple Leafs want to go," he said. Two years without making the playoffs and now a third one. I think everybody is screaming for changes and ... the Toronto Maple Leaf hockey fans deserve to have a team that is in the playoffs and one of the best organizations in the league every year. Nothing else should be acceptable."