Over the years, Henrik and Daniel Sedin have been two of the most reliable producers in the NHL. A rough 2013-14 campaign, in which neither player scored more than 50 points, has been the only setback for the twins in a decade of high-end point totals. Both recovered last season by scoring more than 70 points each.
Now in their mid-30s, they are playing out the final years of their brilliant careers, but still have plenty left in the tank. The Sedin twins should still be high on your list when you draft this fall.
Due to their age, the twins have reached a point where their perceived value in pools is much lower than their actual value. Obviously, players will decline as they get older, but many poolies overreact to this reality and rank older veterans too low on their boards. You can use this to your advantage and secure some proven veterans at good value spots in your draft.
To put in perspective how much the Sedins are undervalued in the fantasy hockey world, Daniel is, on average, the 14th left winger picked in Yahoo drafts. Overall, he is the 64th player selected. Meanwhile, his brother Henrik is the 11th pure center (among those without wing eligibility) taken, which puts him 81st overall. This, despite the fact both twins finished top 10 in NHL scoring last season.
Helping matters for the Sedins is the way they are deployed on the ice. Last year the twins started nearly 55 percent of their shifts in the offensive zone, tops among all Canucks forwards. They can be utilized this way because the team lacks a strong second line, which has been an issue since Ryan Kesler was traded.
Beyond the Sedins and their most frequent linemate Radim Vrbata no Canuck hit the 40-point mark last year. The top line has to be productive for the Canucks to be successful so they’ll always be put in a position to thrive on offence.
A few thoughts on the Sedins:
1. Henrik’s low shot total (close to 100 in both of the past two years) is at the root of his goal-scoring inconsistency. Last year’s 18 goals were helped by a 17.8 shooting percentage, a very high total for any player – and his highest since 2001-02. Look for him to slip back to around 15 goals in 2015-16.
2. Daniel’s shooting percentage has finished below 10 percent in each of the past three years, while his career average is 12 percent. This trend limits his upside as a goal-scorer. He could push the 25-goal mark this year, but his days as a 30-goal scorer are likely over.
3. Henrik has been amazingly durable over the years. Since 2004, he’s only missed a dozen games. That’s right – he’s played every game in nine of the past 10 seasons. Daniel hasn’t been quite as durable, missing 20 total games in three years, but he did play all 82 last season. This is not a red flag, but it is something to keep in mind as the twins get older.
Projection – Daniel Sedin
70 points (22 goals)
Floor: 50 points (if injuries become a problem)
Ceiling: 75 points
Daniel is a decent No. 1 left winger to own in hockey pools this year. He is a great consolation prize if you focus your first picks on other positions and want to add a star-level winger with a later pick. He could be a steal if he falls in the draft order.
Projection – Henrik Sedin
70 points (15 goals)
Floor: 60 points
Ceiling: 75 points
Henrik is a decent No. 1 center who should stay on the board for a while due to the depth at the center position in the NHL. If you go wing-heavy with your first few picks, Henrik would be a very nice add to bolster your middle if he’s still available.
Follow Eric on Twitter (@DH_EricDaoust) and be sure to check out his Eastern Edge column at DobberHockey which covers a variety of fantasy hockey topics in the Eastern Conference. And as the perfect supplement to your Sportsnet Fantasy Guide check out Dobber’s 10th annual Fantasy Guide here.
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