Sedins re-sign, but Ohlund bids farewell
The Vancouver Canucks have re-signed two key pieces of their hockey club, after twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin agreed to identical 5-year, 6.1 million dollar deals.
The deal went down to the wire, but the swaying factor may well have been a last ditch trip to Sweden by general manager Mike Gillis to put his best offer on the table, and try and convince the twins that Vancouver was the best fit for them. The Sedins have been with Vancouver since they were drafted, and after some early struggles with strength and skating, have become consistent and durable point a game players. Both brothers had 82 points last season, and had decent playoff performances as well, the one thing that was missing from their growing resume.
“Daniel and Henrik Sedin are this club’s offensive leaders and players we want to build around,” said general manager Mike Gillis in a statement. “Their level of performance in every area of the game is exceptional; both Daniel and Henrik are committed to winning and we want them to succeed as Vancouver Canucks.”
The deals are much different the the twins proposed 12-year 63 million dollar deals that Gillis wanted no part of, but in the end agent J.P. Barry said the twins looked at their options and chose Vancouver.
“We spent the last 24 hours with Daniel and Henrik going over all the options that they have,” their agent JP Barry told Vancouver’s CKNW on Wednesday. “The more they analyzed things, the more they truly wanted to remain in Vancouver. They’re happy that this deal got to the range that it was fair.”
The club will now turn it’s attention to the free agent market, and have already lost one player with 12-year Canuck Mattias Ohlund getting a 7-year 24.3 million dollar deal to move to Tampa Bay. The loss was not unexpected, as it had been rumoured for months the Canucks would not be re-signing the defenseman.
Other players the Canucks are rumored to be interested in are Calgary’s Mike Cammalleri, Anaheim’s Scott Neidermayer and Minnesota’s Marion Gaborik, although after the signing of the Sedins and the pending announcement of a Roberto Luongo extension, the Canucks cap room is starting to dwindle.
