Sedin Twins: 'Two of a Kind'
When you watch the Vancouver Canucks play, you may think you are seeing double.
Don't worry, there is nothing wrong with your vision! It's just the Sedins, who are causing double trouble for the rest of the league.
Daniel and Henrik Sedin are identical twins that were born Sept. 26, 1980.
The Sedins grew up in the town of Ornskoldvik in Sweden, the same town that produced NHL superstars Peter Forsberg and Markus Naslund. The twins have been inseparable throughout their careers and are known for the effective way they play off one another.
They started playing hockey together at the age of eight, so it's not surprising that they always seem to know exactly where the other is on the ice!
The Sedins began their professional careers at 16, when they joined MoDo of the Swedish Elite League in 1997-98.
In their second year with Modo, Henrik and Daniel led their team in scoring and were co-winners of the Swedish Elite League's Most Valuable Player award.
Not surprising, as a result of their success in Sweden, the Sedins drew a lot of attention for the upcoming 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
It would seem certain that as top prospects, Henrik and Daniel would be chosen by two different teams and split up in the NHL.
But the Canucks had other plans.
Double trouble
They were so excited about the possibility of acquiring both Sedins that they made a bunch of complicated trades to get the second and third picks.
Daniel was chosen first with the second overall pick, while Henrik was selected with the third overall pick in the NHL Draft.
In 2000-01 the Sedins made their NHL debut for the Canucks. Daniel finished with an impressive 20 goals and 34 points, while Henrik was close behind with 29 points. Not bad for a rookie season!
The brothers continued to develop their skills further, becoming quite a headache for opposing teams to defend.
After the NHL lockout in 2005-06, their potential was fully realized. The twins broke out with Henrik tallying 75 points, second in team scoring, while Daniel had 71 points.
To highlight an already impressive season, the Sedins were also members of the 2006 Swedish Olympic team that won the gold medal.
Next season, Henrik set a new franchise record for assists in one season with 71. Not to be outdone, Daniel led the team in scoring with 36 goals and 84 points.
Two of a kind
Showing just how similar they are, during the 2008-2009 season, the Sedins finished the year tied for the team lead in points.
Although there are many similarities between the twins, one distinct difference between them is their style of play.
Henrik, the older of the two by six hours, is known as a playmaking centre that combines excellent hockey sense and a physical game.
He is also one of the most durable players in the league. Through four seasons from 2003-04 to 2007-08 Henrik missed a meagre four games.
Daniel plays left wing, and is known as the scorer. He is usually finishing the play that his brother orchestrates.
In twin-like fashion, they agreed on identical five-year $30.5 million US contracts with Vancouver in the summer.
The Canucks would agree that two heads are definitely better than one, thanks to the Sedins!