from Jeff Paterson at the Vancouver Province,
Can they both be 60-plus point players? Should fans brace for a decrease in their production? And what can the Canucks possibly accomplish if their scoring leaders are in the 50-point range?
The hope, obviously, is that a longer than expected summer will allow the Sedins to rest and heal whatever was holding Henrik back. People will point to the way they rebounded last season after similar struggles when they were overused by John Tortorella. But two years have gone by since then. That’s two more seasons of wear and tear on aging bodies trying to keep up in a league that is getting faster and younger while the Sedins are not. And as the Canucks learned the hard way this season, if they lose one Sedin, they effectively lose both.
When healthy, the twins can still produce magic. That’s not up for any kind of debate. It was there for all to see for a few months in the early part of the schedule.
This second-half tailspin begs the question whether they can come back in the fall and perform at the highest level and do so for an 82-game schedule. Injuries and the drastic drop-offs they produced in two of the last three seasons simply can’t be ignored at this stage of their careers.
Remember, too, that the Sedins will return to town after representing Sweden in the World Cup, where they’ll be forced to battle the best players on the planet. Perhaps that will serve as a springboard into next season, but it may also grind them down before they play another game for the Canucks. That’s something this team can’t afford.
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