Sedin twins – Elliotte Friedman says the Canucks have asked Daniel and Henrik Sedin about taking on bigger front-office roles as key leadership changes loom.
A major shift inside the Vancouver Canucks organization could be in motion, with Elliotte Friedman suggesting that Daniel and Henrik Sedin are being considered for an expanded role beyond their current duties.
Speaking on the latest episode of Sportsnet’s 32 Thoughts podcast. published Monday. Friedman said he expects Monday to be significant for Vancouver.. He framed it not as a public announcement necessarily. but as a day where internal decisions could be finalized—particularly around how the team’s hockey structure will look moving forward.
Friedman reported that the Canucks have asked the Sedins whether they want to take on more responsibility and how comfortable they would be in stepping into a larger role.. While he did not specify exact job titles. he emphasized that the club has been discussing the possibility and that the Sedins’ willingness will be a deciding factor in how that plan could take shape.
According to Friedman, two separate decisions are essentially waiting to be made.. The first is identifying who will lead hockey operations.. The second is whether the Sedins are prepared to accept a bigger mission as it has been presented to them—an important distinction. because the structure of the front office depends on both the leadership hire and the level of involvement from Vancouver’s franchise icons.
The timing of the potential change is also tied to how the situation might feel for the Sedins personally.. Friedman pointed out that the twins could see a different reality now that they’ve already experienced a transition connected to the hockey world.. He referenced the example of Mats Sundin moving from Sweden to Ontario. noting that the Sedins are already in place rather than needing to uproot their families for a similar move.
Meanwhile, the reported expansion would come against the backdrop of leadership turnover in Vancouver. Friedman said the Sedins currently have roles in the Canucks’ player development department, but their influence could increase as the organization reshapes its front-office hierarchy.
The stakes of that reshaping are heightened by the status of key executives.. Friedman’s report places attention on the fact that Jim Rutherford is stepping down as president of hockey operations. and that Patrick Allvin has been fired as general manager.. With those changes, the team’s internal decision-making around hockey operations leadership and surrounding responsibilities becomes even more consequential.
For fans, the Sedins’ place in the organization is already deeply established.. The report noted that Daniel and Henrik rank first and second on a number of all-time Vancouver statistics lists. including games played. points. and assists—an indication of the enduring impact they had on the ice and the connection they maintain with the franchise.
Their relationship with the Canucks began in the draft.. They were selected back-to-back by Vancouver with the second and third picks in the 1999 NHL Draft. and the twins went on to spend their entire NHL careers in Vancouver.. That sense of permanence. as Friedman suggested. is part of why a transition into a bigger front-office role could resonate strongly if it aligns with what the Sedins want to take on.
If the Canucks proceed with the plan Friedman described and the Sedins accept a larger role. it would represent a rare kind of continuity—pairing organizational stability and hockey knowledge with a leadership group undergoing change.. For the franchise. the potential upside is straightforward: putting two culturally significant figures closer to the decision-making that shapes the team’s future.
Of course, Friedman’s comments also make clear that nothing is predetermined.. Even with the Sedins already engaged in player development, the next step depends on internal timing and their personal readiness.. As Vancouver weighs who will head hockey operations and how the rest of the structure will be organized. the Sedins’ response could become one of the defining answers to what comes next for the franchise.
Canucks Daniel Sedin Henrik Sedin Elliotte Friedman 32 Thoughts NHL front office Jim Rutherford