Mats Sundin was in a familiar place. Everything was also very different.

It was February 2009. The former captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs was back in his second home 鈥� only this time as a member of the opposition.

Sundin had signed with the Vancouver Canucks after 13 seasons under the brightest of spotlights in hockey鈥檚 biggest media market.

The Swedish centre jolted out of his hotel bed that cold Saturday morning. Sweat dripped down his brow. In his mind鈥檚 eye, a scenario had just played out in the Leafs鈥� locker room. The crowd was roaring. His team needed him.

And Sundin鈥檚 skate laces kept breaking.

鈥淔or a team captain, there鈥檚 no worse feeling,鈥� he writes. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my perfect nightmare.鈥�

That scene opens Sundin鈥檚 book 鈥淗ome and Away,鈥� which tracks a path that began with his parents and two brothers outside Stockholm and eventually led to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

He dives into the pressures and anxieties of being the first European selected No. 1 overall at the NHL draft, getting traded by the Quebec Nordiques to Toronto for franchise icon Wendel Clark, and the turbulent end to his time with the Leafs.

It鈥檚 those campaigns with the Original Six club 鈥� including the last 11 as captain 鈥� that make up the bulk of Sundin鈥檚 engaging prose alongside co-author Amy Stuart.

鈥淭he Maple Leafs鈥� history is long and storied and complicated,鈥� he writes. 鈥淟eafs Nation is bigger than hockey. It鈥檚 its own universe.鈥�

Sundin arrived in Toronto in 1994 after the trade for the hard-nosed Clark. Things didn鈥檛 go according to plan early. There was a feeling in many hockey circles back then that teams with an abundance of European talent couldn鈥檛 win.

鈥淭he first years were a shock,鈥� Sundin said in a phone interview from Stockholm. 鈥淲endel Clark, the most popular Leaf at that point 鈥� being traded for him. A lot of challenges to try to earn the respect of the fans.鈥�

That respect would eventually come.

Sundin ended up as the Leafs鈥� all-time leader in goals (420) and points (987), although current captain Auston Matthews is on course to smash both marks. His 1,349 points across 18 NHL seasons ranks 30th in league history.

Team success, however, would never truly materialize with Toronto.

There were a few memorable playoff runs and a trip to the 2002 Eastern Conference final, but Sundin wasn鈥檛 able to get a club with a Cup drought dating back to 1967 over the hump.

And then with his career winding down and Toronto nowhere close to contending in the winter of 2008, uncomfortable questions about his future started to swirl. A media circus ensued.

Sundin had a no-movement clause in his contract. General manager Cliff Fletcher, who made the deal for Clark in 1994, was back with Toronto and aiming to retool the roster.

The veteran executive met with Sundin at the team鈥檚 hotel before a game in Carolina and asked if he would agree to be dealt to a contender.

Sundin understood the situation, but the Leafs weren鈥檛 that far out of a playoff spot. He declined management鈥檚 request with the trade deadline looming.

鈥淲hy it was even harder was that I had a really strong season,鈥� Sundin told CP. 鈥淎nd after 13 years with the team, 11 years as the captain, there was so much effort and will to try to win a Stanley Cup as a Toronto Maple Leaf.

鈥淚t felt like the right thing to do.鈥�

He also understood the business of the game.

鈥淭oronto had a chance to get some youth,鈥� continued Sundin, who now lives in Stockholm with wife Josephine and their three kids. 鈥淏ut I always saw myself trying to win that Cup for the Maple Leaf fans.鈥�

The club, however, failed to make the playoffs and Sundin missed the end of the season with an injury. He took the summer to contemplate his next move, which he thought was retirement.

But eventually the fire reignited, Sundin got back training and signed with the Canucks.

Fast-forward a few months later and he was receiving a standing ovation at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Later that night, the game was on his stick in the shootout. There was no chance Sundin would miss.

鈥淚 spent 15 years imagining my last game in Toronto,鈥� he writes. 鈥淚n my dream version, my final game was playing for the Stanley Cup. We win the Cup in front of a home crowd, and an entire city unleashes before our eyes.鈥�

Sundin played his final NHL season in Vancouver. The Cup never materialized, but that night was special, if not strange.

鈥淚 did score the winning goal,鈥� he adds later. 鈥淏ut it wasn鈥檛 the dream ending. There鈥檚 no Cup to hoist, only a flight to catch.鈥�