Twins plan to hang them up
Henrik and Daniel Sedin say they will retire from the NHL after this season
Vancouver Canucks forwards Henrik and Daniel Sedin have announced they will retire from the NHL after this season.
The twin stars broke the news in a letter posted to the team’s website Monday.
The 37-year-olds are in their 17th NHL campaign, all with Vancouver.
Heading into the final year of their contracts, the Sedins penned another open letter in the fall stating their desire to remain with the only franchise they’ve ever known - even if it meant forgoing the chance at a Stanley Cup elsewhere.
“It wouldn’t be the same,” Daniel Sedin told reporters after their post to The Players’ Tribune website back in September. “This city has meant so much to us.”
The twins said in Monday’s retirement letter they originally wanted to wait until after this season to make a decision, but decided the time was right to make the call.
“Many people were asking what the future holds,” the Sedins wrote. “We started the year with the mindset that a decision would be made in the post-season. But it became clear, after discussions with our families throughout the year, that this will be our last season. This feels right for all of us.”
The Sedins, who were set to hold a press conference in Vancouver later Monday, said they are looking forward to spending more time at home.
“It’s time to focus on our families and life after hockey,” they wrote. “It’s time to help with homework every night. It’s time to be at every birthday party and to stand in the cold at every hockey rink, soccer game and riding lesson on weekends.
“It’s time to be at home for dinner every night.” Selected second and third overall at the 1999 draft after the Canucks made a series of trades in order to grab both players, the Sedins have been the face of the franchise for more than a decade.
Their vision and ability to find each other on the ice often left opponents shaking their heads and gasping for air following a dominating shift in the offensive zone.
Two sure-fire Hall of Famers when their numbers are eventually called, Henrik Sedin has 1,068 points (240 goals, 828 assists) in 1,327 regular-season games, while Daniel Sedin has 1,038 points (391 goals, 647 assists) in 1,303 outings. Henrik added 23 goals and 55 assists in 105 playoff games, with Daniel adding 25 goals and 46 assists in 102 games. They were never able to bring a championship to the West Coast, but led Vancouver to within one game of winning the Cup in 2011.