Rasmus Sandin speaks with the media, clears up some misconceptions about his contract negotiations

Fresh off of signing his new deal with the Leafs, Rasmus Sandin took part in his first practice on Sunday, skating on the right side alongside veteran Jake Muzzin. Following practice, Sandin spoke with the media, where he cleared up a pretty big misconception about his contract negotiations.

During the holdout, there was a narrative floating around that Sandin did not want to sign because he wanted some clarity on what his role would be with the team. The rumours swirled throughout the summer that Sandin wanted a bigger role and he wanted to remain on his strong side (left). Sandin revealed on Sunday that the rumours are simply untrue and that he's prepared to work for everything he gets.





Sandin was also asked what it was like having to endure the constant wave of emotions that come with a contentious contract negotiation and whether or not he was stressed about the decision this summer. The 22-year-old revealed that he carried the stress of the negotiations with him each and every day until the deal was finally done.




I think we can all recognize that the truth is always somewhere in between what we hear and what the player tells us after a contract has been signed, but if Sandin is telling the truth, it tells us something about his agent, Lewis Gross. In the end, it was Sandin who called his agent and told him to accept the 2-year deal worth $1.4M per season - the same offer the Leafs made to Sandin and Liljegren back in June. Could Gross have been responsible for Sandin missing the first half of training camp and the preseason? It certainly seems that way.