VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Vancouver Canucks forwards Henrik and Daniel Sedin say they will retire at the end of the season.
The 37-year-old twins announced their plans Monday in a letter on the team’s website .
The Sedins are in their 17th season in the NHL, all with Vancouver. They led the Canucks to within one game of winning the 2011 Stanley Cup.
Heading into the final year of their contracts, the Sedins penned an open letter in the fall stating their desire to remain with the only franchise they’ve ever known — even if it meant forgoing the chance at a Stanley Cup elsewhere.
“It wouldn’t be the same,” Daniel Sedin told reporters after their post to The Players’ Tribune website in September. “This city has meant so much to us.”
The twins said in their letter Monday that they originally wanted to wait until after this season to make a decision, but they decided the time was right to make the call.
“Many people were asking what the future holds,” the Sedins wrote. “We started the year with the mindset that a decision would be made in the postseason. But it became clear, after discussions with our families throughout the year, that this will be our last season. This feels right for all of us.”
The Sedins, who were to hold a news conference in Vancouver later Monday, said they are looking forward to spending more time at home.
“It’s time to focus on our families and life after hockey,” they wrote. “It’s time to help with homework every night. It’s time to be at every birthday party and to stand in the cold at every hockey rink, soccer game and riding lesson on weekends.
“It’s time to be at home for dinner every night.”
Selected second and third overall at the 1999 draft after the Canucks made a series of trades to grab both brothers, the Sedins have been the face of the franchise for more than a decade. Their vision and ability to find each other on the ice often left opponents shaking their heads.
Two likely Hall of Famers when their numbers are eventually called, Henrik Sedin has 1,068 points (240 goals, 828 assists) in 1,327 regular-season games, while Daniel Sedin has 1,038 points (391 goals, 647 assists) in 1,303 outings.
Henrik added 23 goals and 55 assists in 105 playoff games, with Daniel adding 25 goals and 46 assists in 102 games.
Henrik won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer in 2009-10 with 112 points. He also won the Hart Trophy as league MVP that year.
Daniel won the Art Ross in 2010-11 with 104 points. He also won the Ted Lindsay Award as the league MVP voted on by the players.
But that core that got so close to a Stanley Cup title in 2011 has been slowly stripped away, with the Sedins among the only players left.
With players like Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat at the front of a new wave under the leadership of rookie coach Travis Green, the Sedins said they feel they’re leaving the franchise in good hands.
“It’s time to let the next generation of young players lead the Canucks,” they wrote. “Travis is building a strong culture and emphasizes a style of play we know will be successful. The team is in great hands, with people who care about its success and it’s headed in the right direction. We know there is a bright future for the Canucks.”
