Times are good in Vancouver Canuckland. For the first time in its history, the team is on top of the NHL standings this late in the regular season. And the Sedin twins are leading the charge. As of March 1, Henrik - AKA “the Sedin that passes” - is #1 in assists and #4 in points, while Daniel - AKA “the Sedin that shoots” - has the most points of any NHL player. This is in addition to Henrik winning the Art Ross (for the league’s leading scorer) and Hart (league MVP) trophies last season, both firsts in franchise history. What numbers don’t show is the finesse and poise of their highlight-reel passing plays.

Many in this town feel they’ve lived up to expectations and the hype heard when they were drafted back in 1999. But if you look at their numbers, it’s been a culmination of progressive development as players, having a third player on their line that can play with them, and an improved team both on and off the ice. Drafted second and third overall by the Canucks, Daniel and Henrik Sedin were seen as a big part of the Canucks rebuild after the Mark Messier/Mike Keenan Dark Ages that eventually lead to the Westcoast Express Canucks of Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi and Brendon Morrison. 

As usual with the high draft picks, especially on Canadian teams, the expectations were also high. “...certainly by the second half of the season...these players can make an impact in our league,” said then General Manager Brian ‘there isn’t a microphone on earth I don’t love’ Burke during the preseason of their 2000-01 rookie year. It didn’t take long for the Sedins to show they were still boys playing in a man’s league. They were easily bumped off the puck and manhandled during the final years of the Dead Puck Era. Despite scoring 30 or more points each of their first three seasons, they eventually became known as “The Sisters” by locals wanting ‘good Canadian kids’ instead finesse players from Sweden.

This overshadowed just how good the Twins were. As local hockey broadcaster and former NHL sniper Ray Ferraro points out, it’s one thing to make the NHL. It’s another to be consistent. The numbers tell the story. Not only have they scored consistently each season, but point totals have also increased, especially after the ‘04 lockout. The twins benefitted from the rule changes that clamped down on obstruction and finally got a third linemate who can keep up with their sick brand of hockey telepathy. They got that first with Anson Carter in ‘05-’06 then Alex Burrows since the ‘08-‘09 campaign.

Nothing attracts good players like a winning team, a solid organization and a dedicated fan-base. Since taking over as GM in spring 2008, Mike Gillis started to aggressively eliminate the culture that has produced lackluster results for most of the Canucks’ 40 seasons. Add to that savvy free-agent signings and the twins took slight pay-cuts to stay with the team and sign 5-year contract extensions in the summer of ‘09, in the prime of their careers. To put icing on the cake, the Sedins donated $1.5 million to BC Children’s Hospital last March, to the city that has at times wanted to punish them for not being gritty enough. With Henrik’s Art Ross win last year, you don’t hear them called The Sisters anymore. 

Photo from: http://intenttoblow.com/2010/08/our-1st-six-months-the-top-10-itb-posts-part-2-1-5/