Vancouver Canucks' Daniel Sedin, left, and his twin brother Henrik Sedin sit on the bench during an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings on April 4.DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press
As the Vancouver Canucks stumbled through the final months as the season, as the worst team in the league, even the stalwart Sedin twins stopped bringing their full effort each night.
It was obvious, to anyone watching. Henrik and Daniel Sedin, who at 35 were strong through the first several months of the season, became a shadow of their past selves. The twins each averaged less than half a point a game over the final quarter of the season.
"We ran out of gas," conceded Henrik Sedin on Saturday night, after Vancouver's final game, when the third-worst team in the NHL scored a shootout win over the Edmonton Oilers, the second-worst team.
Night after night, through their downfall, the Canucks have chased the puck. The Sedins, and the team, were outplayed. The Sedins, said Henrik, couldn't muster the full effort to fight for scoring chances, especially when the games became meaningless, the playoffs out of reach.
"Emotionally, it's tough to be there. There's no question."
It was a desultory end to a desultory season – and the only immediate solace is the Canucks will have, at worst, the No. 6 pick at the draft in June, with a reasonable shot at a top-three pick. The immediate issue: the Canucks have a first-line problem in the Sedins. As they turn 36, the prospects for gains from this low season are uncertain.
Henrik Sedin, who fought through injuries, finished with 55 points, tied for 63rd in the league. Daniel had 61 points, tied for 34th in the league. For Daniel, at least, he had 28 goals, on 11-per-cent shooting, his best since the 2011-12 season when Duncan Keith badly concussed him with an elbow to the head.
The Sedins have two years left on their contracts. They each make $7-million. They provide considerable veteran leadership and are cornerstones of this franchise, the two all-time leading scorers. Their jerseys will be retired, joining four that are in the rafters. But the question of future offensive output is glaring. They have a longer summer than last year, but only by two weeks. And they get back to work early for Sweden for the World Cup of Hockey in September, making next season an extended affair.
History shows gains from this year will be difficult. Mark 70 points as an optimistic possibility. But looking back at the past 11 seasons, since the year lost to the lockout, only 10 players at 36 or older have scored at least 70 points.
Four have done it twice, led by Joe Sakic and including Teemu Selanne, Ray Whitney and Daniel Alfredsson. Alfredsson is probably the best comparison with the Sedins. Alfredsson had 74 points at age 36 and 71 points at age 37. Joe Thornton, this season, is another interesting example in the context of the Sedins, long-time Pacific Division rivals. Thornton, last season, had 65 points, after being steadily making the 70s. This season, at 36, he booked 82 points, his best in six years.
So it can be done, at 36, but it hasn't been done often. The Sedins are elite players, with solid fitness and stamina, who could add their names to the list. Based on the past several months, it really doesn't look like it. Henrik, however, urged the immediate past to be forgotten. "You can't evaluate this team, or players, from the last 15, 20 games," he said.
One longer underlying indicator that does not bode well is the Sedins' puck possession this season, which for the first time since possession stats have been available dipped below 50 per cent – meaning that when the Sedins were on the ice, they were outplayed. The Sedins were forever strong, and sometimes dominant, possession players.
Part of the problem was the weak defencemen the Sedins played with. At even-strength, besides the solid Chris Tanev, the Sedins most often played with erratic journeyman Matt Bartkowski and rookie Ben Hutton.
Still, if the Sedins can't drive play – the basis of their game – it's hard to see them increasing their scoring. And if they can't, how do the Canucks make gains next season?