Heading into the final year of their contracts with the Vancouver Canucks, Henrik and Daniel Sedin penned a passionate letter to fans on the eve of training camp.
In the piece that appeared on The PlayersB次元官网网址� Tribune website Monday, the twins expressed their desire to remain with the only NHL franchise theyB次元官网网址檝e ever known B次元官网网址� even if it means forgoing the chance at a Stanley Cup with another club.
B次元官网网址淚t wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be the same to win somewhere else,B次元官网网址� Daniel Sedin reiterated Tuesday as players gathered at Rogers Arena for testing and physicals. B次元官网网址漌eB次元官网网址檝e been here so long.
B次元官网网址淭his city has meant so much to us.B次元官网网址�
While it no doubt came from the heart, the online post was also a calculated attempt by the soon-to-be-37-year-old forwards to control the narrative regarding their futures with the rebuilding Canucks.
It probably wonB次元官网网址檛 work, especially with the team unlikely to contend for some time, but credit them for trying.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 going to be questions all season,B次元官网网址� said Henrik Sedin. B次元官网网址滻t was a way for us to show people our mindset and how we felt about it.
B次元官网网址淚 hope the message came across the right way.B次元官网网址�
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Gone are the days of dominance where the Sedins consistently put up big numbers B次元官网网址� Henrik had 51 points last season, while Daniel recorded just 44, his lowest total since 2002-03.
The Sedins are confident they will rebound, and Canucks general manager Jim Benning opened the door for the pair to return next year on new deals.
He also quashed any notion the faces of the franchise for more than a decade would be asked to waive their no-movement clauses if Vancouver is, as expected, out of the playoff picture at the trade deadline.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e great people and theyB次元官网网址檝e been great players for our organization,B次元官网网址� said Benning. B次元官网网址漈hey help with the younger players, set the example of what it means to be a pro.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 just typical of what theyB次元官网网址檙e all about.B次元官网网址�
What the Canucks have been the last two seasons is among the doormats of the NHL as a flood of veterans from the clubB次元官网网址檚 run to the 2011 final moved on with the championship window slammed shut.
Vancouver has missed the playoffs three of the last four springs, finishing 28th overall in 2015-16 before a 29th-place showing in an injury-riddled 2016-17 campaign.
The axe fell on head coach Willie Desjardins in April, paving the way for Travis Green to take charge with his first NHL job after four seasons behind the bench of the clubB次元官网网址檚 AHL affiliate.
Management finally embraced the B次元官网网址渞ebuildB次元官网网址� term publicly late last season, a shift that many observers viewed as a sign the team would infuse more youth into the lineup.
But the Canucks made a number of veteran free-agent signings over the summer, including forwards Sam Gagner and Alexander Burmistrov, as well as defenceman Michael Del Zotto, before adding winger Thomas Vanek on Sept. 1.
That left many to wonder where prospects like Brock Boeser, Jake Virtanen, Olli Juolevi and Jonathan Dahlen, among others, will fit if and when theyB次元官网网址檙e ready.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e said we want to get younger, but itB次元官网网址檚 a fine line between throwing guys into the deep end before theyB次元官网网址檙e ready to swim,B次元官网网址� said Green, a former NHLer and the CanucksB次元官网网址� fourth coach in six years. B次元官网网址漎oung guys are going to make some mistakes.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 whether theyB次元官网网址檙e capable of learning from their mistakes and moving on and getting better so theyB次元官网网址檙e not continuing to make those mistakes.B次元官网网址�
The current established young core includes Bo Horvat, who signed a six-year, US$33-million contract last week, along with fellow forwards Sven Baertschi and Markus Granlund, and defencemen Ben Hutton and Troy Stecher
Jacob Markstrom, meanwhile, looks primed to take over the bulk of the load in the crease after veteran goalie Ryan Miller signed with the Anaheim Ducks.
B次元官网网址淲e havenB次元官网网址檛 had the greatest past two years, but weB次元官网网址檝e made some great additions,B次元官网网址� said the 22-year-old Horvat. B次元官网网址漈heyB次元官网网址檙e going to bring a lot of depth and energy to our team.
B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檙e going to do really well this year.B次元官网网址�
That could be a stretch.
If not for the lowly Colorado Avalanche, the Canucks would have wound up last in a number of offensive categories last year.
Vancouver finished 25 points back of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference and were the owners of a historically inept attack that set a franchise record for futility with just 178 goals.
The CanucksB次元官网网址檚 stale and unimaginative power play ranked 29th overall, while the penalty kill wasnB次元官网网址檛 much better at 28th.
Optimism oozes out of every NHL locker-room at this time of year, and despite the projections on the outside, the Canucks are no different.
B次元官网网址淲e all want to take another step,B次元官网网址� said Daniel Sedin. B次元官网网址滻 think weB次元官网网址檙e on the way up.B次元官网网址�
And while they want to continue on in Vancouver, whether the Sedins B次元官网网址� who donB次元官网网址檛 have any intention of retiring B次元官网网址� are here to see the climb continue after this season is anyoneB次元官网网址檚 guess.
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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
