Teammates, foes, Canucks staff praise the Sedins
From teammates to foes, they all laud twins’ dedication to the game and Canucks
On Monday, Henrik and Daniel Sedin announced their retirement.
On Tuesday, we went down to Rogers Arena and talked to people about the twins:
ADAM GAUDETTE
The Canucks’ 21-year-old rookie played his third NHL game Tuesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights as the Sedins played their third-last league contest.
“As someone new to the league, I think it’s special for me to come in and get five games with them. I sit right next to them in the locker-room and I just try to soak it in. You just see how much time and effort they put in to making themselves better every day, on and off the ice. If you want to play in the league as long as they have, you have to follow what they’ve been doing.”
Gaudette is from the Boston area and was 14 when the Bruins beat the Canucks in Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup final.
“I was a Bruins fan. I grew up a huge Boston sports fan. It’s kind of ironic how things ended up, but the whole city of Boston, all of New England, knows who the Sedins are. Everybody from home asks about the Sedins. I’m like, ‘They’re the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.’”
JAKE VIRTANEN
On the other side of the Canucks’ dressing room, Virtanen is asked what he’s learned from the Sedins:
“There’s a lot of things,” he answers. “I have to think about that.”
How about staying away from hotdogs?
“That’s one of them. They used to do the same things. They said they looked like me when they first came into the league.”
ROGER TAKAHASHI
Takahashi is in his 15th year as the Canucks’ strength and conditioning coach. He was hired in spring 2003, a couple of years before the twins returned from Sweden after the NHL lockout and started their most productive seasons with the Canucks.
“People ask me what did you do. It’s them. It’s not us. They worked on everything from strength, to flexibility, to stability, to endurance. One of the things that has always set them apart is their endurance, so in the third period, they keep going. That’s something we never asked them to do.
“They had this running competition between the two of them. Who did better on each test. Who comes into camp in better shape.”
Takahashi is asked about the example that the Sedins set for younger players.
“Game day they have a special routine. Same with practice. They never skip a warm-up. Never skip a workout. Never skip a cool down. And they put maximum effort into everything. If they’ve played fewer minutes, they’re coming to us and asking for extra work. ”
ALEX EDLER
The twins had started their NHL ascendancy when Edler joined the team in 2006-07. This is his 12th season playing with his countrymen.
“I remember watching them when I was a kid, two young guys dominating the Swedish league. Playing with them has meant a lot. They were there from Day 1 for me. They helped me so much. I’ve been very fortunate to spend a lot of time on the road with them and we’ve become close friends. Just to have them around, especially earlier when you’re coming from the other side of the world. I’m very happy they were in my corner.”
CHRIS BRUMWELL
Brumwell is the Canucks’ vicepresident of communications and community relations. He was the director of communications when the Canucks drafted the Sedins in 1999.
“It was my job to get the jersey ready. That’s jersey, singular. So just before our pick I go to (Canucks general manager Brian Burke) and ask what jersey should I get ready. He said, ‘Sedin.’ I said, ‘Which one?’ He said, ‘Both.’
“I said, ‘Oh.’
“There’s a Velcro situation going on there, but it was the one and only time I had to put two jerseys together. Then we walked up to the stage and I had no idea who was Daniel and who was Henrik. I just held them out and let them pick their jersey.”
Brumwell was on vacation in Sweden a couple of years later when he dropped in on the Sedins.
“We played golf at a nice course, had lunch, then they decide they’re going to play minigolf. Turns out they’re super competitive at minigolf. I had zero chance. They killed me.”
GERARD GALLANT
The Vegas Golden Knights’ head coach has been an assistant and head coach in the NHL for 14 seasons.
“They’re two first-class guys, two great hockey players who come to play every night. I was watching someone last night talk about how tough they are. People don’t think of them as tough players, but when you score as many points as they have and played as many games, you’re tough. They play the cycle game better than anyone I’ve ever seen.”