Daniel Sedin shines in home debut

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2000

By Lucas Aykroyd

They are 22 and 33, but on 26 September 2000, they both turned 20. With Vancouver Canucks fans hoping they will make those jersey numbers famous, Daniel and Henrik Sedin celebrated their birthday by turning in a solid performance against the Minnesota Wild in a 4-4 exhibition tie that marked their GM Place debut. The Swedish twins got a big cheer from the 11,000-plus in attendance when they hit the ice for their first shift on the power play at 1:49 of the first period. Early in the game, the ex-Modo brother duo didn’t manage to score, but they generated heat on the forecheck with right wing Trent Klatt and moved the puck effectively. It was at 13:38 of the third that Daniel completed Vancouver’s comeback from a 4-2 deficit by whacking a left-side shot past Wild goalie Jamie McClennan. EuroReport’s Lucas Aykroyd caught up with Daniel in the Canucks dressing room afterwards.

EuroReport: How did you feel out there in your first game in Vancouver?

Daniel Sedin: It was up and down for me and Henrik. We had some good shifts and some bad ones. It’s a nice arena and the crowd is really good, so it just felt good to go out there and play today.

EuroReport: Getting your first goal at home had to be special too.

Sedin: It was a good feeling. We were down 4-3, so it was an important goal.

EuroReport: What are your personal expectations for the upcoming season?

Sedin: Just to go out there and have fun, and play our own game. We’ll see how much we play.

EuroReport: What has been the most difficult adjustment in terms of the NHL game?

Sedin: I don’t think it’s surprised me at all. The players are better, bigger and stronger. But we knew that coming in.

EuroReport: How has your linemate Trent Klatt helped you out?

Sedin: He’s a great guy. He talks to us a lot, telling us what we should do in special situations. He works hard and opens the ice up for Henrik and me.

EuroReport: Have you been pleased with the way you’ve been able to cycle the puck down low against the opposing defense?

Sedin: Yeah, of course. That’s the way we play. But maybe we’ve got to shoot some more. That should come as we play more games.

EuroReport: After your experience in the Elitserien, how do you think the top Swedish teams would do against NHL teams?

Sedin: I don’t know. We met MoDo and Djurgardens over in Sweden. It was a tough game, but we were playing on the big ice. It would be fun to play against them over here on the smaller rinks.

EuroReport: How does the ice time you’re getting so far compare to what you got with MoDo?

Sedin: We play with four lines here. We only played with three in Modo, so of course, that’s different. But we played a lot today too, so it felt good.

EuroReport: Are there any NHL clubs you’re particularly looking forward to facing on the road?

Sedin: Maybe Toronto and Montreal and those kinds of teams. Those are the biggest, oldest teams in the NHL. Of course, it would be fun to play against some Swedish guys too.

EuroReport: Did you have a favorite player or a guy you modelled yourself on when you were growing up?

Sedin: No, nothing like that.

EuroReport: What’s the best thing about living in Vancouver?

Sedin: It’s a nice city. The people are really nice and the guys on the team have been just perfect. It’s all been fun so far.