Swedish Sedin twins face off in NHL all-star game
Henrik and Daniel Sedin, the Swedish twins who play for the Vancouver Canucks, will line up on opposite sides for Sunday's NHL all-star game.
It took a televised game of eeny meeny miny moe to finally separate the Swedish Sedin twins as they were picked back-to-back during the inaugural NHL All-Star fantasy draft Friday meaning they will square off against each other for the first time as professionals during Sunday's game.
Team Staal captain Eric Staal selected Daniel as his fifth pick while his brother followed immediately when Team Lidstrom captain Nicklas Lidström made Henrik their sixth pick as the draft was televised live on the American sports channel Versus.
The twins played three seasons together with Modo in Sweden before coming to North America. They were selected in the first round (Daniel 2nd overall and Henrik 3rd overall) of the 1999 NHL entry draft by the Canucks. They have been together ever since even playing on the same line throughout their nine seasons with Vancouver.
"Back in 1999 I got picked ahead of Henrik and it happened again today so I am happy," Daniel quipped Friday.
Henrik threw down the gauntlet to his 29-year-old sibling.
"Team Lidstrom got the best twin, that's for sure," Henrik joked.
With the first pick overall, Staal chose goaltender Cam Ward, his teammate on the Raleigh-based Carolina Hurricanes.
The two captains filled out their rosters for Sunday's game and Saturday's skills competition by choosing from a pool of 36 international stars.
Lidström chose Tampa Bay's forward Steven Stamkos with the second pick while Washington forward Alex Ovechkin then went third to Team Staal.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain and Canada's gold medal Olympic hero Sidney Crosby was not in the pool of players. Crosby was forced to skip the showcase event after suffering a concussion when he was blindsided by Ovechkin's Washington teammate David Steckel on January 1st.
Despite being the last player picked, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel came out ahead of everyone else.
Kessel went to Team Lidström after Staal made Colorado's Paul Stastny the 35th pick.
"We're happy with our last pick in the draft, so we'll take Phil Kessel," Team Lidström assistant captain Patrick Kane said.
For his troubles Kessel was awarded a flash sedan car and $20,000 to donate to the charity of his choice.
Comments
See Also
It took a televised game of eeny meeny miny moe to finally separate the Swedish Sedin twins as they were picked back-to-back during the inaugural NHL All-Star fantasy draft Friday meaning they will square off against each other for the first time as professionals during Sunday's game.
Team Staal captain Eric Staal selected Daniel as his fifth pick while his brother followed immediately when Team Lidstrom captain Nicklas Lidström made Henrik their sixth pick as the draft was televised live on the American sports channel Versus.
The twins played three seasons together with Modo in Sweden before coming to North America. They were selected in the first round (Daniel 2nd overall and Henrik 3rd overall) of the 1999 NHL entry draft by the Canucks. They have been together ever since even playing on the same line throughout their nine seasons with Vancouver.
"Back in 1999 I got picked ahead of Henrik and it happened again today so I am happy," Daniel quipped Friday.
Henrik threw down the gauntlet to his 29-year-old sibling.
"Team Lidstrom got the best twin, that's for sure," Henrik joked.
With the first pick overall, Staal chose goaltender Cam Ward, his teammate on the Raleigh-based Carolina Hurricanes.
The two captains filled out their rosters for Sunday's game and Saturday's skills competition by choosing from a pool of 36 international stars.
Lidström chose Tampa Bay's forward Steven Stamkos with the second pick while Washington forward Alex Ovechkin then went third to Team Staal.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain and Canada's gold medal Olympic hero Sidney Crosby was not in the pool of players. Crosby was forced to skip the showcase event after suffering a concussion when he was blindsided by Ovechkin's Washington teammate David Steckel on January 1st.
Despite being the last player picked, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel came out ahead of everyone else.
Kessel went to Team Lidström after Staal made Colorado's Paul Stastny the 35th pick.
"We're happy with our last pick in the draft, so we'll take Phil Kessel," Team Lidström assistant captain Patrick Kane said.
For his troubles Kessel was awarded a flash sedan car and $20,000 to donate to the charity of his choice.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.