In their first year in the Vancouver Canucks player development system, Daniel and Henrik Sedin played key roles in the growth of several of the organization's top prospects
On their way to playing careers that landed them in the Hockey Hall of Fame last November, Daniel and Henrik Sedin charted a development path for themselves that saw them bypass the American Hockey League. But now, after their playing days, the top two scorers in Vancouver Canucks history are getting a first hand look at life in the best developmental league in the world. And according to the man in charge of the Canucks top minor league affiliate, the Sedins deserve plenty of credit for the time they have put in and the work they have done to help develop the next wave of prospects in Abbotsford.
In his season-ending media availability on Wednesday, Abbotsford General Manager and the Canucks Senior Director of Player Development Ryan Johnson, a former big-league teammate of the Sedins, offered rave reviews of the commitment the twins made in their first full season as part of the organization's player development system.
"I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel and how personal they take the future of this organization," Johnson said. "You see that everyday. Having those guys drive out here two or three days a week and be on the ice and part of our meetings and a resource for these players with a genuine interest."
It was late May a year ago the Sedins became featured pieces of the Canucks renewed commitment to player growth and development. After a year shadowing those in the club's front office, a decision was made that Daniel and Henrik could have more impact in their post-playing days lending their experience to current members of the NHL team and to those trying to earn their way to the big league out in Abbotsford.
This season, the Sedins split their time between Rogers Arena in downtown Vancouver and the Abbotsford Centre 70 kilometres away in the heart of the Fraser Valley.
Working alongside first year Abbotsford head coach Jeremy Colliton and his staff, the Sedins were regulars at AHL practices and were often seen staying out late to work one on one (or in some cases two on one) with players.
"I had so much fun watching them have fun working with a really young team, young group," Johnson said. "It was a huge part of our growth in our environment here."
With 2636 games and 2111 points amassed over a combined 34 NHL seasons, the Sedins certainly have plenty of wisdom to share with young players. And they had that opportunity in Abbotsford working with the likes of Nils Hoglander, Linus Karlsson, Danila Klimovich and Arshdeep Bains among others.
According to Johnson, the Sedins grew into their roles as mentors and teachers as the season progressed. And so it was no surprise that the Abbotsford Canucks saw similar growth in their players over the course of the season that ended last Friday with a home ice loss in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series against the AHL regular season champion Calgary Wranglers.
"It means a lot. And not just because they were great players, but because they're great people. They care that much about this group and the organization"
"When you have young players that realize they get two recently inducted Hall of Famers that care that much about these players and the future of the organization, that resonates huge with these guys" Johnson explained. "The little conversations, the things they talk about post-practice or in the gym or around these guys. It means a lot. And not just because they were great players, but because they’re great people. They care that much about this group and the organization. I feel incredibly fortunate to have them be a part of our team here."
For the better part of two decades, Daniel and Henrik Sedin had a hand in producing offense for the Vancouver Canucks. After a few years away from the game following their retirements in 2018, they are back -- and back in a big way -- producing once again for the Canucks organization. Only this time, it's helping others attempt to reach the heights they did during their remarkable NHL careers. And to the surprise of absolutely no one that watched them during their playing days, they have found themselves in starring roles once more.