After 13 record-setting and often glorious seasons in Toronto, Mats Sundin's career as a Maple Leaf may have quietly come to an end.

Sundin was not in uniform for last night's 4-3 shootout loss to Buffalo and the captain isn't likely to play tomorrow when the Senators close out Toronto's home schedule, nor is he expected to be in the Leafs' season finale at Montreal Saturday.

With his future up in the air ' Sundin becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1 ' his Toronto tenure may have limped to a conclusion because of a tear in his groin muscle; his last appearance was a quiet 18 minutes against the Canadiens on Saturday.

Sundin practised with the Leafs Monday after a day off on Sunday, but coach Paul Maurice said the centre's injury didn't improve the way the club anticipated.

"And if there's no improvement, then he's not going to play the rest of the games," said the coach. "He's going to have to get markedly better. We had expected in two or three days he would and he didn't."

Sundin didn't speak to reporters yesterday, but the 37-year-old has been vague about his hockey future, leaving the impression he really doesn't know himself. There has been speculation that he might retire and, within the last week, he seemed to leave the door open to playing elsewhere next season.

"I want to play here and I've always said I wanted to finish my career as a Toronto Maple Leaf. That hasn't changed," Sundin said when asked Friday if he'd consider signing elsewhere.

"Saying that though, I understand the position the team is in and that (I'm) in. You miss the playoffs two years and then a third year in a row, everybody is screaming for changes and for something to happen. We'll see this summer what's going to happen with the team and with myself, too."

GM Cliff Fletcher continues to express optimism that Sundin will continue playing and will sign with the Leafs. Fletcher said he met with Sundin yesterday and the two will talk again before the captain returns to Sweden for the summer.

"(Sundin) hasn't indicated to me directly (he'll continue playing) but you just get the sense or a feel of how discussions are going and you can form your own conclusions, right or wrong," said Fletcher.

"We will have discussions with his agent, J.P. Barry, and we'll see where that takes us. (Retirement) is one of his options. My feeling that he may very well want to play again is based on the year he had this year. He had a great year, better than the last few years."

Maurice was reticent to reflect on Sundin's campaign, not wanting to make it sound like anything was conclusive.

"There's going to come a point in time, in six or seven years, when Mats retires. And then you're going to be able to spend the next 20 years with parades, tributes, Mats Sundin nights, the ashtrays, the coffee cups, matchbooks, we'll let that all happen," he said.

Sundin has been brilliant this season. His 32 goals and 78 points are easily team highs and he became the 30th player in NHL history to reach the 1,300 points plateau. If he is finished as a Leaf, he will leave as the franchise's leading goal scorer (420) and point getter (987). Remarkably durable, he played 981 games in a Toronto uniform.

Kyle Wellwood is also done for the year and possibly as a Leaf. He will undergo a procedure on an injured groin muscle today at Philadelphia. He becomes a restricted free agent on July 1. Wellwood has had two previous surgeries on his groin, the latest in September, and Maurice said what the centre will have done tomorrow is not as serious.

Nik Antropov also sat out last night's game because of pain in his knee. Fletcher said the big centre may have to have the joint surgically repaired at season's end.

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