Henrik Sedin

AS A RULE…ON A SPORTS TALK SHOW…IT IS NEVER A GOOD IDEA TO QUOTE FROM THE BOOK OF JONI MITCHELL…
BUT IN THE CASE OF HENRIK SEDIN…THIS IS “THE” EXCEPTION…
“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT ‘TILL IT’S GONE”…
LAST SUMMER THE HENRIK AND DANIEL SEDIN CAME WITH IN A FEW HOURS OF BECOMING UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS…
HAD THAT HAPPENED…ODDS ARE GOOD…THEY WOULD HAVE SIGNED WITH ANOTHER TEAM…
THAT TEAM…PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN TORONTO…
AS YOU KNOW…
THE LEAFS GENERAL MANAGER BRIAN BURKE WAS ALREADY ON A PLANE HEADED TO STOCKHOLM WHEN THE SEDINS SIGNED THEIR NEW 5 YEAR CONTRACTS…
ON SATURDAY IN DALLAS…THE CANUCKS SKATED OFF THE ICE WITH A 3-1 WIN OVER THE STARS…
HENRIK SEDIN PICKED UP 2 ASSISTS…AND AT THAT TIME…WAS TIED WITH JOE THORNTON FOR THE SCORING LEAD IN THE NHL…WITH 55 POINTS…
THORNTON HAS SINCE ADDED 2 POINTS…AND NOW LEADS WITH 57…
NOT SINCE MARKUS NASLUND IN 2003…HAS ANY CANUCK CHALLENGED FOR THE ART ROSS TROPHY…
BUT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HENRIK SEDIN IS DOING…
TODAY THE NHL NAMED HIM AS THE FIRST STAR FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER…
HE LED THE LEAGUE IN POINTS WITH 25…AND COLLECTED POINTS IN 14…OF 15 GAMES…
AS A RESULT…THE CANUCKS WENT 10-4-1 AND ARE NOW JUST 3 POINTS BACK OF COLORADO FOR FIRST PLACE IN THE NORTH WEST DIVISION…
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IN HIS GAME…HAS BEEN HIS WILLINGESS TO SHOOT THE PUCK…
HENRIK IS ON PACE FOR 170 SHOTS…
AS A RESULT HE HAS ALREADY SCORED 19 GOALS AND COULD WIND UP WITH AS MANY 40…
HIS PREVIOUS BEST IS JUST “22”…
NEVERTHELESS…FOR WHATEVER REASON…MANY HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY STILL DO NOT FULLY APPRECIATE JUST HOW GOOD BOTH HENRIK AND DANIEL SEDIN ARE…
BUT TRY AND IMAGINE…IF THEY HAD SIGNED IN TORONTO…
TRY AND IMAGINE…IF THE LEAFS WERE HEADED TO THE PLAYOFFS…AND THE CANUCKS WERE SITTING IN 14TH PLACE IN THE CONFERENCE…
THINK ABOUT IT…
MAYBE…JUST MAYBE…JONI MITCHELL KNEW WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT…