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Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:36 am EDT

Sedins staying put: Vancouver holds onto its Swedish Twins

By Greg Wyshynski

This is the way the winds were blowing for the last 24 hours, and now it's official: Henrik and Daniel Sedin(notes) are off the market one hour before unrestricted free agency begins, re-signing with the Vancouver Canucks. From TSN:

The brothers have signed a pair of five-year contacts, averaging $6.1 million a season.

Daniel and Henrik entered the league as the second and third overall selections by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. Playing side by side for the Canucks, the duo has amassed 288 goals, 634 assists, and 922 points in 1,288 games combined, but were unable to lead Vancouver into the Stanley Cup Final.

The SedBros each had a cap hit of $3.575 million on their previous deal.

There's no question that their special circumstances as the Tomax and Xamot of the NHL hindered their negotiating stance from the get-go. Henrik alone could have commanded about a million more annually as one of the top playmaking centers on the market. But is he any good without Daniel? Is Daniel any good without Henrik? This two-man show clouds the true talent; which is why we never saw "Lou Costello meets Frankenstein," which is a shame.

Did their initial demand for long-term, Henrik Zetterberg(notes)-esque contracts scare off some interest? The cap hit on the 12-year plan was $5.25 million, but clearly the length of the deal wasn't something the Canucks were going to commit to. Going less than $1 million above that figure and keeping the contract to five years is an absolute win for GM Mike Gillis.

The Scott Gomez(notes) trade felt like a reactionary one from the Montreal Canadiens yesterday, and perhaps this Sedins news is why. Their re-signing only affects a few teams -- Vancouver being one of them, and a good-day to you Mattias Ohlund(notes) -- but their salaries could certainly factor into future contracts like the one the Columbus Blue Jackets want Rick Nash(notes) to sign this summer.

Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke's day just got a little less predictable, eh?

Related: Rumors, scuttlebutt, innuendo

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51 Comments

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  1. ranndino
    1. Posted by ranndino Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:46 am EDT

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    Their negotiating stance was definitely hurt because of the whole package deal, but then again they're from Sweden and care about things other than just money, which I very much respect. Might be strange to some, but that's the Swedish culture for you. They value playing together above an extra million in salary for each. Good for them.
  2. i4ni
    2. Posted by i4ni Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:49 am EDT

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    Who didn't see this one coming. Gillis and the Sedin's were staring each other down each holding a pair of deuces at the poker table. Reality set in on both parties and finally came to a mutual agreement. Still, $6.1 million is a pretty nice payday.
  3. CanadianBunnies.com
    3. Posted by CanadianBunnies.com Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:51 am EDT

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    Leafs in 5!
  4. Drunk Broadcaster
    4. Posted by Drunk Broadcaster Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:52 am EDT

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    @PUCK DADDY: did you just say 'eh'? Happy Canada Day!
  5. lowerNC
    5. Posted by lowerNC Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:01 pm EDT

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    how did they originally get to be on the same team....did vancover have to trade something to get both picks in the draft????? was it a two for one deal????
  6. Hans Gruber
    6. Posted by Hans Gruber Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:05 pm EDT

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    Vancouver traded to get the 3rd pick, they already held the 2nd pick in the 1999 draft I believe.
  7. Wyshynski
    7. Posted by Wyshynski Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:05 pm EDT

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    @ lowerNC --
    Check it:
    http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/06/21/entry-draft-1999-how-burke-pulled-off-the-sedins-heist/
  8. Corich
    8. Posted by Corich Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:06 pm EDT

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    I don't think the Leafs were ever going to get them. It's also not what they necessarily need. Leafs are years away from "competing" and I can't see how the Sedin's would want to flounder in that environment, Burke or no Burke.
  9. Spock
    9. Posted by Spock Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:07 pm EDT

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    I wonder if the Sedins played mind tricks with the Canuck fans .... Proposing a huge deal in public, but then settling on one that is a lot less (yet still expensive), thus tricking the Canuck fans to think that they are heroes.
  10. Runnin up on ya !
    10. Posted by Runnin up on ya ! Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:13 pm EDT

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    say what you want in defence of the wonder twins, but 12mill per to retain 2 players.. TWO PLAYERS that have ammassed 288 goals in a 10 years span. wow ! maybe by the time they are done they will have 500 goals combined and make the Hall as a pair because they ain't getting in with individual stats, which begs the question why you would pay them that much for what amounts to hype and the circus freak side show they are. I really don't see the fuss over these 2. and don't detract from what I said by pointing out my teams contract gaffes, that isn't a justifiable defence of what these 2 just pulled off.
  11. Garth the Hoser
    11. Posted by Garth the Hoser Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:13 pm EDT

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    Actually, I can predict Bloviating Burke's day:
    Does nothing.
    Money quote: "We felt all the free agents out there were asking for too much. We are preparing ourselves for summer 2010 when the new economic realities kick in."
    Leafs fan: "That Burke. What a genius."
    1-9-6-7.
  12. fletch81
    12. Posted by fletch81 Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:13 pm EDT

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    Well, that about secures it. Vancouver won't make it out of the 2nd round for the next five years. While "the Twins" are great players, they don't strike me as "champions" for some reason.
  13. habs1rule
    13. Posted by habs1rule Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:16 pm EDT

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    Vancouver..Good signing..I may be living vicariously through you this year.
  14. Dutch
    14. Posted by Dutch Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:18 pm EDT

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    Seems like a reasonable deal for both sides. Big but not elephantine contract. 5 years a lot easier to swallow than 12, especially if one or both fizzle out in a couple of years.
  15. Cory K
    15. Posted by Cory K Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:22 pm EDT

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    "and a good-day to you Mattias Ohlund" good call Wysh haha
  16. Satan (not to be confused with the NHL player)
    16. Posted by Satan (not to be confused with the NHL player) Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:29 pm EDT

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    nice job with tampa signing ohlund. makes the malone deal look like a discount purchase.
  17. J
    17. Posted by J Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:30 pm EDT

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    I hate the Canucks. Get that out front first. But they did the right thing by keeping these two in-house. I wanted both of them for my Wild, but never really believed it would happen. They belong in Vancouver, I hope they both retire as Canucks. I respect the way they play the game, and anyone who doesn't think they are that good must be a fan of an eastern conference team....because you obviously don't watch the games.
    Hate the Canucks, hate 'em....but they did the right thing.
  18. Fin-atic
    18. Posted by Fin-atic Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:35 pm EDT

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    And with that, Vancouver completes it's committment to mediocrity for the next 5 years.
    Thank you for not trading them to the Sharks though.
  19. Runnin up on ya !
    19. Posted by Runnin up on ya ! Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:38 pm EDT

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    Not saying they are crap players.. I realize they do play a respected offensive game but would you want your team paying 12 mil a year for 1 player to put up .5 ppg avg.
  20. Runnin up on ya !
    20. Posted by Runnin up on ya ! Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:41 pm EDT

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    now divide that by 2
  21. NYR34
    21. Posted by NYR34 Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:44 pm EDT

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    Ohlund to Tampa? What's that up now, about 215 defensemen on the roster?
  22. M
    22. Posted by M Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:45 pm EDT

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    Hey Runnin' whats' your boy slats gonna do with all that loot?
  23. G-Zone
    23. Posted by G-Zone Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:45 pm EDT

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    Thanks god.. cause I watched them this season more than I have any other season and frankly they are nothing special... Glad to see that no other team would take such a tandem trouble waiting to happen @ such a high price.. Sorry Canucks, but another boring cupless season for you...
  24. firewing
    24. Posted by firewing Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:47 pm EDT

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    hey big rumor just came up hossa to the blackhawks. the west could be getting more fun now,
  25. DP43
    25. Posted by DP43 Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:55 pm EDT

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    Well said, toke1_2k2. The Sedins are often criticized but since the lockout, they have been getting an elite amount of points every season and don't get injured at all (knock on wood). From Minnesota's perspective, why not go after Heatley? Not sure whether he would want to play there, but he already seems to have turned down the Oilers.

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