In the five seasons Marc Crawford coached Daniel and Henrik Sedin with the Vancouver Canucks, he can only remember one time he was truly angry with either one of them.
He was furious.
Crawford berated Henrik in front of the whole team during an intermission for what he deemed to be a missed faceoff assignment. Henrik silently took the tongue-lashing in stride.
It was only after the Canucks players headed back to the ice that Daniel pulled Crawford aside to explain the target of his “supreme crap” was misplaced.
“Daniel said to me, ‘I just want you to know that was me who took the faceoff. It wasn’t Henrik,’” Crawford says. “He didn’t want to embarrass me. He didn’t want to make me feel bad in front of the team.
“I don’t think there’s many guys (like Henrik) that would allow you to give them crap, even though they were saving their brother. They were terrific, terrific guys. I laugh every time I think of that story.”
Now an associate coach with the Ottawa Senators, the memory brings Crawford great joy – especially in light of Monday’s announcement the Canucks’ twin stars are retiring from the NHL at the end of the season.
To him, it’s the perfect example of why they’re known as two of the classiest players in the league. Either one of them could have questioned Crawford for the tirade or the misidentification. Instead, it was handled quietly.
“That’s the way that they were,” Crawford says. “They were so respectful.”
The Sedins will play their final home game Thursday in Vancouver for the only NHL franchise they’ve ever known.
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After being selected second and third overall in the 1999 NHL Draft, they’ve gone on to become two of the most accomplished players in Canucks history.
They rank first and second in games played, points and assists, with captain Henrik leading the way. No Canuck has ever scored more goals than Daniel’s 391. Henrik won the Hart and Art Ross Trophies in 2009-10, while Daniel claimed the Ted Lindsay and Art Ross Trophies the following season.
But their careers in Vancouver took some time to round into form.
As rookies in 2000-01, the Sedins were asked to take on secondary scoring roles behind the likes of Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi and Brendan Morrison — an offensive trio that would be dubbed the West Coast Express. Crawford felt the brothers were perhaps asked to do too much that season as Daniel recorded 34 points and Henrik had 29.
“We always knew it was just a matter of strength and maturity,” Crawford says. “It’s like (Senators rookie) Thomas Chabot now. He’s a great player and he’s going to be a great defenceman. But he’s only got young-man strength. When he gets man strength, he’s going to be an excellent player.
“That was the same with Daniel and Henrik. You knew as soon as they filled out, as soon as their legs got stronger, as soon as their upper bodies got stronger, they were going to be (elite) guys.”
The Sedins eventually settled into that secondary role. Daniel cracked the 50-point mark in the season before the 2004-05 lockout and they both emerged from the work stoppage as front-liners by surpassing the 70-point barrier. That was Crawford’s last season as their coach.
“You saw flashes of brilliance from the start. They did things that brought you out of your seat. And then they started doing it on a more and more consistent basis,” Crawford says.
“I was happy to see that happen in front of my eyes while I was there. They did so much of that because they have great qualities, great character and great drive and ambition. That’s what the great players have.”
There was no doubt in Crawford’s mind the Sedins would one day become NHL stars. But as confident as Crawford was about their hockey abilities, he was even more sure about them as people.
Crawford recalls meeting with the two Sedins as rookies to explain that adjusting to the NHL isn’t easy due to increased travel, a busier schedule, and physicality of opponents. They assured their coach they’d be fine.
Then Crawford warned the players he’d be tougher on them than any of their previous coaches. The Sedins jokingly conceded that point, which Crawford still chuckles about.
But, as it turns out, he didn’t have many reasons to be frustrated with them anyway.
“I can’t ever remember being disappointed in them for anything other than them losing a battle once in a while,” Crawford says.
“You always knew you were going to get their best effort. You always knew they were going to be selfless. You always knew they put the team success before anything else. That is their legacy.”
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