Daniel Sedin is a Swedish professional
ice hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
wingerWinger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
with the
Vancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
of the
National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL), and serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during
home gamesIn sports, home is a term referring to both the city and stadium, arena, or field where an athletic team plays games at their venue, whilst when the team plays elsewhere then they are considered the away team. The home term can refer to either the sponsoring institution or the place where it is...
. His identical twin brother
HenrikHenrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...
also plays for the Canucks, and is the team captain. Born and raised in
ÖrnsköldsvikÖrnsköldsvik is a locality and the seat of Örnsköldsvik Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 28,617 inhabitants in 2005.Its natural harbour and archipelago is in the Gulf of Bothnia and the northern boundaries of the High Coast area. It is well known as an exporter of paper products...
, Sweden, they have played together throughout their careers; the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one another. Daniel is known as a goal-scorer, while Henrik is known as a playmaker.
Daniel began his professional career in the
Swedish Elite LeagueElitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
with
Modo HockeyModo Hockey is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The club plays in Sweden's premier ice hockey league, the Elitserien. They were founded in 1921 and have won two Elitserien championships; in 1979 and 2007. The team's home arena is the Fjällräven Center since 2006...
in 1997 and was co-recipient, with Henrik, of the 1999
Golden PuckGuldpucken is awarded annually to the ice hockey player of the year in Sweden. It is similar to the NHL's Hart Memorial Trophy. Normally it goes to a player in the Swedish Elite League...
as Swedish player of the year. He played four seasons with Modo (including a return in 2004–05 due to the NHL lockout), helping the club to two consecutive appearances in the
Le Mat TrophyThe Le Mat is the championship trophy of Elitserien, the major professional ice hockey league in Sweden.The Le Mat is the oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes in Sweden. The trophy was donated by the founding father of ice hockey in Sweden, Raoul Le Mat, and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
Finals, in 1999 and 2000, where they lost both times. Selected second overall by the Canucks in the
1999 NHL Entry DraftThe 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
, Daniel moved to the NHL in the 2000–01 season. He has spent his entire NHL career in Vancouver; after emerging as a top player in the club during the 2005–06 season, he has since recorded six consecutive campaigns of at least 20 goals and 70 points. In
2011The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
, he won the
Art Ross TrophyThe Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
as the league's leading point-scorer and the Ted Lindsay Award as the best player in the league. Daniel was also nominated for the
Hart Memorial TrophyThe Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
as the league's
most valuable playerIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. In Sweden, he and Henrik were awarded the Victoria Stipendium as the country's athletes of the year.
Internationally, Daniel has competed for the Swedish national team. In addition to being a two-time Winter Olympian, he has appeared in two European Junior Championships, two
World Junior ChampionshipsThe International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world...
and four World Championships. He won a gold medal at the
2006 Winter Olympics-Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and...
in
TurinTurin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, and bronze medals at the
1999-World Championship Group C:Played at Eindhoven and Tilburg, Netherlands April 5–11. Yugoslavia was supposed to particpate in this tournament, but was prevented by the host Dutch government.-Group 1:-Group 2:-Final Round 25-28 Place:...
and
2001 World Championships-Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2002# — relegated to Division I for 2002# - Group A :Group A was played in Grenoble, France between April 16 and April 22, 2001...
.
Early life
Daniel was born on September 26, 1980, in
ÖrnsköldsvikÖrnsköldsvik is a locality and the seat of Örnsköldsvik Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 28,617 inhabitants in 2005.Its natural harbour and archipelago is in the Gulf of Bothnia and the northern boundaries of the High Coast area. It is well known as an exporter of paper products...
, Sweden, six minutes after his identical twin brother,
HenrikHenrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...
. The pair have two older brothers, Stefan and Peter. Their father, Tommy, is a school vice principal and also played for
Modo HockeyModo Hockey is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The club plays in Sweden's premier ice hockey league, the Elitserien. They were founded in 1921 and have won two Elitserien championships; in 1979 and 2007. The team's home arena is the Fjällräven Center since 2006...
in the 1960s, while his mother, Tora, is a nurse. Daniel began playing organized hockey with Henrik when they were eight. They did not regularly play on the same
lineA line in ice hockey is a term used to describe a group of forwards that play in a group, or shift, during a game.A complete forward line consists of a left wing, a center, and a right wing, while a pair of defensemen who play together are called a "defensive pairing." Typically, a team dresses...
until Daniel switched from centre to wing at 14 years old. Daniel and Henrik both attended high school at the Nolaskolan Gymnasium in Sweden while playing professionally for Modo Hockey.
Modo Hockey (1997–2000)
Aged 16, Daniel and Henrik began their professional careers in 1997–98 with Modo Hockey of the
Swedish Elite LeagueElitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
. Daniel recorded 12 points over 45 games during his rookie season. In his second professional year, he led Modo in scoring with 42 points in 50 games, helping the club to its second regular season title in team history. Daniel then added 12 points in 13 playoff games as Modo advanced to the
Le Mat TrophyThe Le Mat is the championship trophy of Elitserien, the major professional ice hockey league in Sweden.The Le Mat is the oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes in Sweden. The trophy was donated by the founding father of ice hockey in Sweden, Raoul Le Mat, and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
Finals, where they lost to
Brynäs IFBrynäs IF is a professional Swedish ice hockey team from Gävle. The club plays in the highest Swedish league , and has done so since 1960.-History:...
. At the end of the campaign, Daniel and Henrik were named co-recipients of the
Golden PuckGuldpucken is awarded annually to the ice hockey player of the year in Sweden. It is similar to the NHL's Hart Memorial Trophy. Normally it goes to a player in the Swedish Elite League...
, the Swedish player of the year award.
The Sedins were considered top prospects for the
1999 NHL Entry DraftThe 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
. Rated as the top draft-eligible players from Europe, they were expected to be top five selections and expressed a desire to play for the same team. As they were unlikely to be picked by the same team, their agent,
Mike BarnettMichael Barnett is a Canadian ice hockey executive currently serving as advisor and scout with the New York Rangers. He was formerly a professional ice hockey player, sports agent, and National Hockey League general manager.-Sports career:Barnett played for the St. Lawrence University Skating...
, president of international talent agency
IMGIMG, originally known as the International Management Group is a global sports and media business headquartered in New York City.-History:...
, presented them with two options to circumvent the usual NHL draft process, allowing them to play together. The first option was for the pair to enter the 1999 draft and not sign with their respective NHL clubs for two years, allowing them to become unrestricted free agents. This option required that they play
junior hockeyJunior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
in North America, which was not their intention. Barnett also suggested either Henrik or Daniel opt out of the 1999 draft, hoping that the team that selected the first twin would select the other the following year. On the possibility of the Sedins' playing for separate teams,
Vancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
scout
Thomas GradinThomas Kjell Gradin was a professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League from 1978 to 1987. He is best remembered for the 8 seasons he spent with the Vancouver Canucks, and remains one of the top players in that franchise's history.-NHL career:Gradin was already one of the top...
commented, "They're good enough to play with anyone, but separately their capacity might decrease by 10 or 15 percent." Nevertheless, Henrik and Daniel both entered the 1999 draft expecting to be selected by separate teams. However, through a series of transactions, Canucks general manager Brian Burke obtained the second and third overall picks, which he used to select Daniel and Henrik, respectively. Gradin notified them of the Canucks' intentions five minutes before the draft. Although
Tampa Bay LightningThe Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
general manager
Rick DudleyRichard Clarence Dudley is a Canadian professional ice hockey executive and former player. Dudley was previously the general manager of several hockey teams. Dudley played in the World Hockey Association and in the National Hockey League. Dudley has also served as a head coach in the National...
was ready to make Daniel his first overall choice before opening negotiations, he was convinced by Burke and Barnett that Daniel would not sign unless his brother was on the same team.
On July 27, 1999, a month following the draft, Daniel and Henrik signed three-year contracts with the Canucks. As the contract did not require them to begin playing in Vancouver immediately, they announced on August 12 they would return to Sweden to play one more season with Modo. During the 1999–2000 season, Daniel finished second in team scoring with 45 points in 50 games, two points behind Henrik. The two brothers played on a
lineA line in ice hockey is a term used to describe a group of forwards that play in a group, or shift, during a game.A complete forward line consists of a left wing, a center, and a right wing, while a pair of defensemen who play together are called a "defensive pairing." Typically, a team dresses...
during the season with
New York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
prospect
Mattias WeinhandlMattias Weinhandl is a Swedish professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for SKA St Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League ....
. In the 2000 playoffs, Daniel added a team-leading eight goals and 14 points. He recorded two goals and two assists in the deciding game of the semifinals against Brynäs IF, a 6–3 win for Modo. Modo made their second straight finals appearance, where they lost the playoff championship to
Djurgårdens IFDjurgårdens IF Hockey are a professional ice hockey team based in Stockholm, Sweden. They are the ice hockey department of the sports club Djurgårdens IF. The department was formed in 1922 with the help of Wilhelm Arwe and have since then become Sweden's most successful team, having won the Swedish...
in three straight games.
2000–06
The 2000–01 NHL season was Daniel's first season with the Canucks. His debut was the team's first game of the campaign on October 5, 2000, a 6–3 loss to the
Philadelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Daniel and Henrik became the fourth pair of twins to have played in the NHL. Three days later, Daniel scored his first career NHL goal against goaltender
Dan CloutierDan Cloutier is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender. In his 10-year National Hockey League career, Cloutier played with the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, and Los Angeles Kings, spending the majority of his career in Vancouver...
of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Assisted by Henrik, the goal tied the game at 4–4 with 1:13 minutes left to go in a 5–4 regulation win. On November 30, 2000, he suffered a shoulder injury, sidelining him for four games. During his recovery, he was reprimanded by Canucks head coach
Marc CrawfordMarc Joseph John Crawford is a Canadian professional ice hockey head coach, most recently employed by the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. He was previously the head coach of three other organizations and won a Stanley Cup in 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche...
who told him that playing through pain is part of being in the NHL. Later in the season, he missed an additional three games due to a back injury, shortening his rookie season to 75 games. He became the first rookie in 2000–01 to reach 20 goals when he scored on March 21, 2001, in a 1–1 tie against the
Columbus Blue JacketsThe Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Finishing the campaign with that goal total, he tied for second among league rookies in scoring with
Shane WillisShane Willis is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger.- Career :Willis was originally drafted by Tampa Bay 56th overall in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, but unable to come to terms, he re-entered the draft and was selected 88th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 1997 NHL Entry...
, behind
Brad RichardsBradley Glenn Richards is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League .-Early career:Born and raised in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island...
. He also had 14 assists for 34 points in total. Making his
Stanley Cup playoffsThe Stanley Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records...
debut against the
Colorado AvalancheThe Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
, Daniel recorded an assist in the opening game of the first-round series, a 5–4 loss for the Canucks. He added his first NHL playoff goal later in the series as the Canucks were eliminated in four games. He and Henrik played primarily on the Canucks' third line. Daniel received one third-place vote from the Professional Hockey Writers' Association for the
Calder Memorial TrophyThe Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given "to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League." The Rookie of the Year trophy has been awarded 79 times since its creation for the 1936–37 NHL season...
as NHL rookie of the year, finishing eighth in award balloting overall.
During the off-season in May 2001, Daniel underwent surgery for a herniated disc in his lower back, from which he suffered during the
2001 World Championships-Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2002# — relegated to Division I for 2002# - Group A :Group A was played in Grenoble, France between April 16 and April 22, 2001...
in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In his second NHL season, Daniel struggled with the lowest goals total of his career with nine. The campaign included a 25-game stretch without a goal between mid October and the end of November 2001. With 23 assists, he had 32 points overall. Vancouver finished with the eighth
seedA seed is a preliminary ranking that can be used in arranging a sports tournament. It is called a seed because of the analogy with plants where the seed might grow into a top rank at the end of that tournament, or might instead wither away...
in the
Western ConferenceThe Western Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Eastern Conference....
for the second consecutive year. Facing the
Detroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in the first round, they were eliminated in six games. The following season in 2002–03, Daniel continued his point-scoring pace of the previous two campaigns with 14 goals and 17 assists. Vancouver finished the regular season fourth overall in the West and advanced to the second round for the first time in Daniel's career. He appeared in a career-high 14 playoff games and recorded six points, as the Canucks were defeated in seven games by the
Minnesota WildThe Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. Daniel and Henrik were re-signed in the off-season to one-year,
US$The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.125 million contracts on July 29, 2003.
The Sedins began the 2003–04 season on a line with first-year player Jason King. The trio were dubbed the "Mattress Line" (two twins and a King) and formed the Canucks' second scoring line until King was re-assigned to the team's minor league affiliate midway through the season. Daniel was awarded his first
penalty shotIn ice hockey, a penalty shot is a type of penalty awarded when a team loses a clear scoring opportunity on a breakaway because of a foul committed by an opposing player. A player from the non-offending team is given an attempt to score a goal without opposition from any defending players except...
on January 17, 2004, in a game against the
Mighty Ducks of AnaheimThe Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. He was stopped by goaltender
Jean-Sébastien GiguèreJean-Sébastien Giguère is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League . He played major junior with the Verdun Collège Français and Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League , where he was drafted 13th...
as Anaheim went on to win the game 2–1. On February 24, 2004, Daniel recorded his first NHL career
hat-trickA hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
with a four-goal effort in a 4–2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Over 82 games, Daniel increased his production to 18 goals and 54 points. The Canucks won the
Northwest DivisionThe NHL's Northwest Division was formed in 1998 as part of the Western Conference due to expansion. Like the Pacific Division, the Northwest Division is also a descendant of the former Smythe Division, as three of its Canadian teams played in that division from 1981–1993...
title in the regular season, before losing to the
Calgary FlamesThe Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
in the first round of the playoffs. Daniel recorded a goal and two assists in the seven-game series.
Daniel was re-signed to a one-year contract on September 10, 2004, during the off-season. However, due to the 2004–05 lockout, Daniel returned to Sweden to play for Modo, along with Henrik and their Canucks teammate
Markus NäslundSten Markus Näslund is a Swedish ice hockey general manager for Modo Hockey and a retired professional winger. He played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, as well as in the Elitserien with Modo Hockey...
. He finished
the seasonThe 2004–05 Elitserien season was the 30th season of Elitserien. It started on September 20, 2004, with the regular season ending March 1, 2005. The playoffs of the 81st Swedish Championship ended on April 11, with Frölunda HC taking the championship....
with 33 points in 49 games, fourth in team scoring behind
Peter ForsbergPeter Mattias "Foppa" Forsberg is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player and currently an assistant general manager of Modo Sports. Known for his on-ice vision and physical play, Forsberg is considered one of the most complete players of his generation...
, Mattias Weinhandl and Henrik.
When NHL play resumed in 2005–06, Daniel returned to the Canucks and scored 71 points. He tied for third in team point-scoring with
Todd BertuzziTodd Bertuzzi is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
, behind Henrik and Näslund. His scoring success that season was influenced, in part, by the signing of winger
Anson CarterAnson Carter is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger of Barbadian descent who last played for HC Lugano in the Swiss Nationalliga A. In the past, he has played for eight different National Hockey League teams, most notably with the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver...
, who played on the Sedins' line and led the team in goal-scoring. The trio matched the scoring pace of the Canucks' top line of Näslund, Bertuzzi and
Brendan MorrisonBrendan Morrison is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League...
. Vancouver's head coach at the time, Marc Crawford, recalled that season as marking the Sedins' ascent to leaders on the team, stating that "by the end of that year, they definitely were our top guys. They had surpassed Naslund and Bertuzzi." Despite the brothers' individual achievements, the Canucks missed the playoffs for the first time in their careers. During the off-season, Daniel and Henrik re-signed with the Canucks to identical three-year, $10.75 million contracts on June 30, 2006. Despite the Sedins' success with Carter, the Canucks did not re-sign him; he joined the Columbus Blue Jackets the following season.
from 2006
In the 2006–07 season, Daniel established himself as the Canucks' top scorer. He led the team with a career-high 36 goals and 84 points to lead the Canucks in scoring. He also tied a league record with four goals in overtime over the course of the season. Daniel notched his second career NHL hat-trick on February 6, 2007, scoring two goals against goaltender
Dwayne RolosonAlbert Dwayne Roloson is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League . He has previously played for the Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, and New York Islanders during his professional career...
and one into an empty net. He later took the second penalty shot of his career on March 8, 2007, against the
Phoenix CoyotesThe Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
. However, he was stopped once again by
Curtis JosephCurtis Shayne Joseph is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League....
; Vancouver went on to win the game 4–2. Winger
Taylor PyattTaylor William Pyatt is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League . Drafted out of the Ontario Hockey League , he played major-junior with the Sudbury Wolves...
, acquired in a trade from the
Buffalo SabresThe Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
during the off-season, replaced Carter as the Sedins' linemate and went on to score a career-high 23 goals. In the opening game of the
2007 playoffsThe 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 11, 2007. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the...
against the
Dallas StarsThe Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
, Daniel assisted on Henrik's quadruple-
overtimeOvertime is a method of determining the winner and loser of an ice hockey match when the scores are tied after regulation. The two main methods are the overtime period and the shootout.-Overtime periods:...
goal to end the longest-ever Canucks playoff game and the sixth longest in NHL history at 138 minutes and six seconds of play. Daniel struggled to produce offensively in the playoffs, however, managing five points over 12 games as the Canucks were eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round.
Daniel recorded 74 points in 2007–08, as the Canucks missed the playoffs for the second time in three years. He finished second in team point-scoring to Henrik and first in goals with 29. The Sedins saw some time with Näslund on their top line during the season to form an all-Swedish forward unit. The
following seasonThe 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
, Daniel recorded 31 goals and 82 points, tying Henrik for the team lead in points. He opened the campaign being named the NHL's
First Star of the WeekIn ice hockey, the three stars of a match are the three best players as chosen by a third party, with the first star considered the best of the three players, akin to the man of the match in other sports. Usually, the top point scorers or outstanding goaltenders are designated the three stars, but...
on October 13, 2008, with a five-point effort over two games.
Steve BernierSteve Bernier is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger with the Albany Devils of the American Hockey League...
had been acquired in the 2008 off-season in another trade with the Sabres, and began the season on the top line with the Sedins. Bernier was later removed; on February 12, 2009, head coach
Alain Vigneault moved
Alexandre BurrowsAlexandre Ménard-Burrows is a French-Canadian professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . He is known for playing in the style of an agitator and for his ascension to the NHL from being an undrafted player in the ECHL...
up from the third line during a game against the Phoenix Coyotes. Late in the campaign, Daniel was named the NHL's Second Star of the Week on March 30, 2009, after recording four goals and four assists in four games, including a game-winning goal. He added 10 points over 10 games in the
2009 playoffsThe 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 15, 2009, after the 2008–09 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference , play a best-of-seven series for the conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and...
, helping the Canucks advance to the second round, where they were defeated in six games by the
Chicago BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
.
Set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, 2009, Daniel and Henrik began negotiating with the Canucks in the off-season and were reported to have asked for 12-year, $63 million contracts in mid-June. With free agency looming, Canucks general manager
Mike GillisMichael David Gillis is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.-Playing career:...
visited the Sedins in Sweden, where they agreed on identical five-year, $30.5 million contracts on July 1.
Four games into the
2009–10 seasonThe 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
, Daniel suffered the first major injury of his career, breaking his foot in a game against the
Montreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
. He suffered the injury after being hit by a slapshot from teammate Alex Edler. Although Daniel finished the game and recorded three assists, x-rays several days later revealed a fracture. He was sidelined for 18 games, returning to the ice on November 22 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Soon after his return, he notched his third career NHL hat-trick in a 4–2 win against the
Atlanta ThrashersThe Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
on December 10. Four days later, he was named the NHL's Second Star of the Week with seven points over the course of the week. In the final game of the regular season, on April 10, 2010, against the Calgary Flames, Daniel scored his fourth career NHL hat-trick in a 7–3 win. All three goals were assisted by his brother, helping Henrik pass
Alexander OvechkinAlexander Mikhaylovich Ovechkin is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League...
for the
Art Ross TrophyThe Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
as the league's leading point-scorer. The last goal was chosen by
The Sports NetworkThe Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
in a fan-voted poll as the NHL's play of the year; Daniel received a between-the-legs tip pass from Henrik near the corner boards before beating goaltender Miika Kiprusoff with a between-the-legs deke. Daniel finished the season with a career-high 56 assists and 85 points despite playing an injury-shortened 63-game campaign. His 1.35 points per game rate was third in the league behind Henrik and Ovechkin. In the subsequent
2010 playoffsThe 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 14, 2010, after the 2009–10 NHL regular season. The Finals ended on June 9, 2010, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to two to win their fourth championship and their first since 1961...
, Daniel recorded 10 points in the opening round against the
Los Angeles KingsThe Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, including the series-winning goal in the late stages of game six. Against the Chicago Blackhawks the following round, his production decreased to four points as the Canucks were eliminated in six games. In the off-season, Daniel was named to the
NHL Second All-Star TeamThe NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
. It marked the first time since 1973–74 that two brothers were named post-season NHL All-Stars, as Henrik had been named to the First Team. They were also chosen to appear together on the cover of
EA SportsEA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
' European version of the
NHL 11NHL 11 is an ice hockey video game celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the NHL series. The game was developed by EA Canada, published by EA Sports, and released in North America on September 7, 2010, with all other regions receiving the game within two weeks...
video game.
On October 9, 2010, Daniel was named an alternate captain for the Canucks, who named Henrik captain during a pre-game ceremony to celebrate the team's 40th anniversary. He was joined by
Ryan KeslerRyan James Kesler is an American professional ice hockey center for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . He serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. Selected in the first round, 23rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Kesler has...
,
Kevin BieksaKevin Christopher Bieksa is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League , serving as an alternate captain for the Canucks during away games...
and
Manny MalhotraEmmanuel Noveen Malhotra is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League , serving as an alternate captain. During his NHL career he has additionally played for the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks and New...
as alternates. Daniel wears the "A" during Canucks home games, along with Kesler. On January 10, 2011, he was named the NHL's First Star of the Week after scoring five goals and seven points in four games. During that span, he scored the 10,000th goal in Canucks franchise history in a 3–1 win against the Flames on January 5. Later in the month, Daniel competed in his first career NHL All-Star Game. Drafted onto Team
StaalEric Craig Staal is a Canadian ice hockey player and the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League...
, he played with Canucks teammate
Ryan KeslerRyan James Kesler is an American professional ice hockey center for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . He serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. Selected in the first round, 23rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Kesler has...
opposite Henrik on Team
LidstromNicklas Erik Lidström is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, and is their captain...
. In the Skills Competition, Daniel won the shooting accuracy segment by first beating
Martin HavlatMartin Havlát is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
to all four targets in 7.3 seconds, then defeating
Patrick KanePatrick Timothy Kane, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . The Blackhawks selected him with the first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.-Minor and junior:Kane attended the St...
in the final in 8.9 seconds. The following day, Daniel recorded one assist as Team Staal lost the game 11–10. Towards the end of the 2010–11 season, Daniel compiled three goals and five assists in three games to be named the NHL's Second Star of the Week on March 14, 2011. During that month, he totalled 9 goals and 12 assists in 15 games, earning him NHL Second Star of the Month honours. With a goal and an assist against the Los Angeles Kings on March 31, Daniel became the fifth player in team history to reach the 100-point mark in one season (after
Pavel BurePavel Vladimirovich Bure is a retired Russian professional ice hockey right winger. Nicknamed "The Russian Rocket" for his speed, Bure played for 12 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers...
,
Alexander MogilnyAlexander Gennadevitch Mogilny is a former Russian professional ice hockey player, currently the team consultant of the KHL team Amur Khabarovsk. Mogilny was best known for his lightning quick speed and lethal wrist shot in his early years, which led to his career year of 76 goals in the 1992–93...
, Markus Naslund and Henrik Sedin).
Prior to the Canucks' final home game of the season a week later, he was awarded the Cyclone Taylor Award as the team's most valuable player (MVP) and his third Cyrus H. McLean Award as the team's leading point-scorer. Finishing the campaign with a career-high 41 goals, 63 assists and 104 points, he won the
Art Ross TrophyThe Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
as the league's leading point-scorer. It marked the first time in NHL history that brothers led the league in scoring in back-to-back seasons, as Henrik had won the previous year. Chicago Blackhawks forwards
DougDouglas Wagner Bentley was a Canadian ice hockey left winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers as part of a senior and professional career that spanned nearly three decades...
and
Max BentleyMaxwell Herbert Lloyd Bentley was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League as part of a professional and senior career that spanned 20 years...
also won separate scoring titles, but had achieved the feat three years apart in 1943 and 1946, respectively. He also received the
Viking AwardThe Viking Award is awarded annually to the best Swedish ice hockey player in North America. The winner is decided by a vote among the players themselves. Only Mats Sundin has received the award four times. Peter Forsberg, Markus Näslund and Börje Salming have received it three...
as the league's best Swedish player, following after Henrik who received it the year before.
Daniel's efforts helped the Canucks win the
Presidents' TrophyThe Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000...
as the team with the league's best regular season record for the first in franchise history. Entering the
2011 playoffsThe 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 13, 2011, after the conclusion of the 2010–11 NHL regular season. Game 1 of the Finals was held on June 1, while Game 7 was held on June 15...
with the top seed in the West, the Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks,
Nashville PredatorsThe Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and
San Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the first three rounds to advance to the
Stanley Cup FinalsThe 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League , and the culmination of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was the 118th year of the Stanley Cup's presentation. The Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins defeated the Western Conference Champion Vancouver...
for the first time in 17 years. Playing against the
Boston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, the Sedins struggled to score in the Finals; through the series' seven games, Daniel recorded a goal and three assists. Consequently, the Canucks managed just eight goals in that same span. After losing Game 6 by a 5–2 score in Boston, Daniel told
Vancouver Sun reporters, "We're going to win Game 7." They went on to lose the deciding contest 4–0. With 9 goals and 20 points over 25 games, Daniel ranked fourth in playoff scoring behind Boston's
David KrejciDavid Krejčí is a Czech professional ice hockey center currently playing for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Henrik Sedin and Tampa Bay's
Martin St. LouisMartin St. Louis is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
.
A week after the Canucks' loss, Daniel was in attendance for the NHL Awards show in Las Vegas, having been nominated for the
Hart Memorial TrophyThe Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
as the league's most valuable player, the Ted Lindsay Award as the league's most outstanding player and the
NHL Foundation Player AwardThe NHL Foundation Player Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player "who applies the core values of hockey—commitment, perseverance and teamwork—to enrich the lives of people in his community". The winner is given a grant of US$25,000 to help causes that the winner supports...
for he and Henrik's work in the Vancouver community. Daniel won the Lindsay Award over forwards Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning and
Corey PerryCorey Perry is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . Drafted out of the Ontario Hockey League , he captured a Memorial Cup with the London Knights and a gold medal with Team Canada at the World Junior Championships during...
of the Anaheim Ducks. In Hart Trophy voting, he finished as the first runner-up to Perry with 51 first-place ballots and 960 voting points total (16 and 83 fewer than Perry, respectively). Daniel and Henrik also lost the NHL Foundation Award to Los Angeles Kings captain Dustin Brown. After being named to the NHL's Second All-Star Team the previous year, Daniel received First Team honours with Henrik for the 2010–11 season. Returning to Sweden in the off-season, Daniel and Henrik were co-recipients of the Victoria Stipendium, as the country's athletes of the year. They became the third and fourth ice hockey players to receive the award, after Stefan Persson in 1980 and
Peter ForsbergPeter Mattias "Foppa" Forsberg is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player and currently an assistant general manager of Modo Sports. Known for his on-ice vision and physical play, Forsberg is considered one of the most complete players of his generation...
in 1994. Henrik and Daniel were presented the award, commemorated with glass plates, on July 14, 2011, in the city of
BorgholmBorgholm is a city and the seat of Borgholm Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 3,093 inhabitants in 2005. It is located on the island of Öland in the Baltic Sea....
.
International play
Daniel made his North American debut competing for Sweden in the 1997 World U17 Hockey Challenge, held in
AlbertaAlberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. Leading the tournament in scoring with 26 points (9 goals and 17 assists) over 6 games, he helped Sweden to a silver medal. After going undefeated in five contests, they were defeated in the gold medal game by Team
OntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
6–2.
Back in Europe, Daniel competed at the 1997 European Junior Championships, recording two goals and six points over six games. The following year, at the 1998 European Junior Championships, Sweden's final game required them to beat Russia by four goals to surpass Finland in
goal differentialIn sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
and win the gold medal. Daniel recorded two assists as Sweden won 5–1.
In his NHL draft year, Daniel competed for Sweden at the
1999 World Junior Championships-Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-5th place game:-Bronze medal game:-Gold medal game:-Final ranking:-Scoring leaders:-Pool B:Played at Szekesfehervar and Dunaujvaros, Hungary from December 27 to January 3. Two groups of four played round robins, and then the top three played each of the top three teams...
in
WinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
,
ManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
. He recorded 10 points in six games, and tied for second in tournament scoring with
Daniel TkaczukDaniel Tkaczuk is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for Nottingham Panthers of the EIHL. Tkaczuk is a Canadian who is of Polish origin.-Playing career:...
of
CanadaThe Canadian men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Canada. The team represents Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January...
and
Scott GomezScott Carlos Gomez is an American ice hockey center of both Mexican and Colombian descent, currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
of the
United StatesUSA Hockey is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic Committee as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. The organization is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and has...
, behind
Brian GiontaBrian Joseph Gionta is an American professional ice hockey player and captain of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League , and is the second American-born captain of the Canadiens and its first sole American-born captain...
of the United States. Sweden failed to medal, losing the bronze medal game against Slovakia by a 5–4 score. Later that year, Daniel made his debut for the Swedish men's team at the
1999 World Championships-World Championship Group C:Played at Eindhoven and Tilburg, Netherlands April 5–11. Yugoslavia was supposed to particpate in this tournament, but was prevented by the host Dutch government.-Group 1:-Group 2:-Final Round 25-28 Place:...
in
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He notched one assist over nine games as Sweden won the bronze medal.
In 2000, Daniel once again competed in both the
World Junior-Group B:All times local .-Relegation round:-10-minute tie break game: was relegated to Division I for the 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.-Final round:‡ Shootout victory.All times local ....
and
Men's Championships-World Championship Group A :Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2001# -World Championship Group B :...
. At the junior tournament in Sweden, Daniel matched his previous year's output with 10 points. He was the third highest point-scorer in the tournament, behind Henrik and
Milan KraftMilan Kraft is a Czech professional ice hockey centre. He was drafted in the first round, 23rd overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft....
of the Czech Republic. Again, Sweden failed to earn a medal, finishing in fifth place. At the Men's World Championships, Daniel and Henrik both recorded five points; they were the youngest players on the squad. Sweden did not achieve a medal, losing to Finland in the quarterfinal.
Following his rookie season with the Vancouver Canucks, Daniel made his third World Championships appearance, in
2001-Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2002# — relegated to Division I for 2002# - Group A :Group A was played in Grenoble, France between April 16 and April 22, 2001...
in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was injured midway through the tournament and had to return to Vancouver for surgery on a herniated disc in his lower back. Sweden defeated the United States 3–2 to win its second bronze medal in three years. He made a fourth tournament appearance at the
2005 World ChampionshipsThe 2005 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held March 7 - May 15, 2005, in 7 cities in 6 countries: Vienna and Innsbruck, Austria ; Debrecen, Hungary ; Eindhoven, the Netherlands ; Zagreb, Croatia ; Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro ; Mexico City, Mexico...
in
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Sweden missed out on the bronze medal, losing to Russia 6–3. Daniel had an assist in a losing effort during the bronze medal game. He finished with nine points in nine games, which tied for fourth in tournament-scoring.
On December 22, 2005, Daniel was named to the Swedish Olympic team for the 2006 Winter Games in
TurinTurin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy. He joined Henrik, Markus Näslund and
Mattias ÖhlundMattias Öhlund is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman and an alternate captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League . Prior to joining the Lightning, he played eleven seasons with the Vancouver Canucks...
as one of four Canucks on the squad. Competing in his first Olympics, he contributed four points as Sweden won a gold medal, defeating Finland 3–2 in the final. Four years later, he was once again named to the Swedish Olympic team for the
2010 Winter GamesThe men's tournament in ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from 16 to 28 February 2010. Games were hosted at two venues – Canada Hockey Place and UBC Thunderbird Arena...
in
VancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. Despite going into the tournament as one of Sweden's key players (in the corresponding NHL season, he was third among Swedish players in points despite missing 19 games), he ranked seventh among team forwards in total ice time. Sweden failed to defend their gold medal from Turin, losing to Slovakia in the quarterfinal. Daniel had a goal and two assists in four games.
Playing style
Throughout his career, Daniel has been known as a goal-scorer, usually finishing plays initiated by his brother, Henrik. However, Daniel is also a proficient playmaker and generates many sequences with Henrik off the cycle. Daniel's familiarity with Henrik's play enhances his effectiveness; the pair are known for their ability to find each other intuitively with passes, often without looking.
With offensive skill marking the prime component of his game, Daniel is known to avoid initiating contact with opposing players. Early in their career, he and Henrik were knocked off the puck easily, leading many in the media to refer to them as the "Sedin Sisters". As a result, players have often taken advantage of their lack of physicality by playing aggressively against them. This once led Canucks general manager Brian Burke to publicly complain, commenting during a
2002 playoffThe 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championships of the National Hockey League, was played from April until June. The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Carolina Hurricanes four games to one to clinch the 10th championship in their history. It was the Hurricanes first ever appearance in the...
series against the Detroit Red Wings, "'Sedin' is not Swedish for 'punch me or headlock me in a scrum'." As their careers progressed, the Sedins have worked on their strength, improving their puck possession, allowing them to play more effectively.
Personal life
Daniel met his wife Marinette in his hometown Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, around 1998. She came with him to Vancouver upon the start of Daniel's NHL career in 2000, and the two married in 2005. After earning a bachelor's degree in psychology at the
University of British ColumbiaThe University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
Marinette became involved with the Canucks Family Education Centre, helping female immigrants transition to the English language. Together, they have two daughters, Ronja (born in 2006) and Anna (born in March 2011), and a son, Erik (born in 2008). They live in the Vancouver neighbourhood of Shaughnessy during the NHL season, returning to Sweden every summer.
In March 2010, Daniel and Marinette made a joint $1.5 million donation with Henrik and his wife Johanna to the BC Children's Hospital's $200-million project for a new building. The two families requested that it be put towards a pediatric intensive-care unit and a diagnostic imaging area.
Regular season and playoffs
| |
|
Regular season |
|
Playoffs |
| Season In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
| Team | League |
GP | G In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
| A In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
| Pts Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...
| PIMA penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...
|
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1996–97 |
Modo HockeyModo Hockey is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The club plays in Sweden's premier ice hockey league, the Elitserien. They were founded in 1921 and have won two Elitserien championships; in 1979 and 2007. The team's home arena is the Fjällräven Center since 2006...
Jr. |
J20 J20 SuperElit is a junior ice hockey league composed of 20 teams in Sweden. It is the highest-level junior ice hockey league in Sweden. The teams are divided in two groups, or divisions, Norra and Södra , and are usually associated with a professional team in either Elitserien or HockeyAllsvenskan...
|
26 |
26 |
14 |
40 |
6 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1997–98 |
Modo Hockey Jr. |
J20 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
4 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1997–98 |
Modo Hockey |
SEL Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
|
45 |
4 |
8 |
12 |
26 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| 1998–99 |
Modo Hockey |
SEL |
50 |
21 |
21 |
42 |
20 |
13 |
4 |
8 |
12 |
14 |
| 1999–00 |
Modo Hockey |
SEL |
50 |
19 |
26 |
45 |
28 |
13 |
8 |
6 |
14 |
18 |
| 2000–01 |
Vancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
|
NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
|
75 |
20 |
14 |
34 |
24 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| 2001–02 |
Vancouver Canucks |
NHL |
79 |
9 |
23 |
32 |
32 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| 2002–03 |
Vancouver Canucks |
NHL |
79 |
14 |
17 |
31 |
34 |
14 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
8 |
| 2003–04 |
Vancouver Canucks |
NHL |
82 |
18 |
36 |
54 |
18 |
7 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| 2004–05 The 2004–05 Elitserien season was the 30th season of Elitserien. It started on September 20, 2004, with the regular season ending March 1, 2005. The playoffs of the 81st Swedish Championship ended on April 11, with Frölunda HC taking the championship....
|
Modo Hockey |
SEL |
49 |
13 |
20 |
33 |
40 |
6 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
| 2005–06 |
Vancouver Canucks |
NHL |
82 |
22 |
49 |
71 |
34 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2006–07 |
Vancouver Canucks |
NHL |
81 |
36 |
48 |
84 |
36 |
12 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
4 |
| 2007–08 |
Vancouver Canucks |
NHL |
82 |
29 |
45 |
74 |
50 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
2008–09The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
|
Vancouver Canucks |
NHL |
82 |
31 |
51 |
82 |
36 |
10 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
8 |
2009–10The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
|
Vancouver Canucks |
NHL |
63 |
29 |
56 |
85 |
28 |
12 |
5 |
9 |
14 |
12 |
| 2010–11 The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
|
Vancouver Canucks |
NHL |
82 |
41 |
63 |
104 |
32 |
25 |
9 |
11 |
20 |
32 |
| NHL totals |
787 |
249 |
402 |
651 |
324 |
90 |
23 |
39 |
62 |
64 |
International
| Year |
Team |
Comp |
|
GP |
G |
A |
Pts |
PIM |
| 1997 |
Sweden Jr.The Swedish men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Sweden. The team represents Sweden at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January.Sweden's roster for the 1981 World Junior...
|
EJC |
6 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
| 1998 |
Sweden Jr. |
EJC |
6 |
3 |
8 |
11 |
10 |
| 1999 -Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-5th place game:-Bronze medal game:-Gold medal game:-Final ranking:-Scoring leaders:-Pool B:Played at Szekesfehervar and Dunaujvaros, Hungary from December 27 to January 3. Two groups of four played round robins, and then the top three played each of the top three teams...
|
Sweden Jr. |
WJC The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world...
|
6 |
5 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
| 2000 -World Championship Group A :Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2001# -World Championship Group B :...
|
SwedenThe Swedish men's national ice hockey team, or Tre Kronor , as it is called in Sweden, is one of the most successful ice hockey teams in the world...
|
WC |
9 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2000-Group B:All times local .-Relegation round:-10-minute tie break game: was relegated to Division I for the 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.-Final round:‡ Shootout victory.All times local ....
|
Sweden Jr. |
WJC |
7 |
6 |
4 |
10 |
0 |
| 2000 -World Championship Group A :Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2001# -World Championship Group B :...
|
Sweden |
WC |
7 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
8 |
| 2001 -Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2002# — relegated to Division I for 2002# - Group A :Group A was played in Grenoble, France between April 16 and April 22, 2001...
|
Sweden |
WC |
3 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| 2005 The 2005 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held March 7 - May 15, 2005, in 7 cities in 6 countries: Vienna and Innsbruck, Austria ; Debrecen, Hungary ; Eindhoven, the Netherlands ; Zagreb, Croatia ; Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro ; Mexico City, Mexico...
|
Sweden |
WC |
9 |
5 |
4 |
9 |
2 |
| 2006 -Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and...
|
Sweden |
OlyIce hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games programme in 1924. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics...
|
8 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
2010Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the...
|
Sweden |
Oly |
4 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| Junior int'l totals |
25 |
16 |
21 |
37 |
14 |
| Senior int'l totals |
40 |
10 |
14 |
24 |
14 |
*All statistics taken from NHL.com
NHL All-Star Games
| Year |
Location |
|
G | A | Pts |
| 2011 The 58th National Hockey League All-Star Game, also known as the 2011 National Hockey League All-Star Game presented by Discover, was the National Hockey League’s annual All-Star game played on January 30, 2011. The game took place during the 2010–11 NHL season at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North...
|
Raleigh |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| All-star totals |
0 | 1 | 1 |
Awards
| Award |
Year |
| NHL (major) |
Art Ross TrophyThe Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
(regular season scoring leader) |
2011 The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
|
| Ted Lindsay Award (most oustanding player) |
2011 The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
|
| NHL First All-Star Team The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
|
2011 The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
|
| NHL Second All-Star Team The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
|
2010 |
| NHL (minor) |
| NHL All-Star Game |
2011 |
| NHL Second Star of the Month |
March 2011 |
| NHL First Star of the Week |
October 13, 2008
January 10, 2011 |
| NHL Second Star of the Week |
March 30, 2009
December 14, 2009
March 14, 2011 |
| Vancouver Canucks |
| Cyrus H. McLean Trophy The Cyrus H. McLean Trophy is an award given out by the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. It recognizes the Canucks leading scorer over the course of the regular season...
(leading point-scorer) |
2007, 2009The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
and 2011The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
|
| Cyclone Taylor Award (MVP) |
2011 The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
|
| Sweden |
| Victoria Stipendium (Swedish athlete of the year) |
2011 (shared with Henrik SedinHenrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...
) |
| Viking Award The Viking Award is awarded annually to the best Swedish ice hockey player in North America. The winner is decided by a vote among the players themselves. Only Mats Sundin has received the award four times. Peter Forsberg, Markus Näslund and Börje Salming have received it three...
(Best Swedish player in NHL) |
2011 The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech...
|
| Golden Puck Guldpucken is awarded annually to the ice hockey player of the year in Sweden. It is similar to the NHL's Hart Memorial Trophy. Normally it goes to a player in the Swedish Elite League...
(ElitserienElitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
player of the year) |
1999 (shared with Henrik SedinHenrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...
) |
| International |
| Olympic gold medal (with Sweden) |
2006The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
|
Transactions
- June 26, 1999 – Drafted by the Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in the first round, second overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry DraftThe 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
- July 27, 1999 – Signed with the Canucks to a three-year contract
- July 29, 2003 – Re-signed with the Canucks to a one-year, $1.125 million contract
- September 10, 2004 – Re-signed with the Canucks to a one-year contract
- June 30, 2006 – Re-signed with the Canucks to a three-year, $10.75 million contract
- July 1, 2009 – Re-signed with the Canucks to a five-year, $30.5 million contract
External links