The Sedin twins are legendary for their extreme commitment to fitness, but according to one of their former Vancouver Canucks teammates, that wasn’t always the case.
The two franchise legends have developed a well-earned reputation as fitness freaks, and they still routinely blow away the Canucks prospects on the team’s annual trip to the Grouse Grind.
However, a new story from their early days with the Canucks suggests a love of sugar might’ve been hard to kick while young in their career.
“They lived in my building, we lived in Yaletown. I wasn’t like an ultra-veteran, but I was a few years older,” said former Canucks defenceman Jason Strudwick on a recent episode of Spittin’ Chiclets.
A member of the Canucks from 1998 to 2002, Strudwick was a teammate of the Sedins during their first two NHL seasons.
“I said, ‘Guys, you’ve got to get in shape.’ They came over a little bit doughy from Sweden. I’d be like, ‘Lay off the ice cream and all that.’”
“We had a day off, I come out, we had this unreal ice cream shop right in the bottom of our building… I’m just standing there and who walks out of the ice cream shop? Danny Sedin just loaded up [with ice cream].”
Seeing Strudwick was the last thing Daniel wanted at that moment.
“He looks at me… and just slams [the ice cream cone] and just walks away, he was so mad.”
The Sedins’ sweets obsession has been brought up a few times over the years. Longtime teammate Kevin Bieksa mentioned it during the twins’ jersey retirement session.
“I understand the things you’re supposed to highlight and the things you’re not,” started the hilarious former defenceman in his speech. “Like when we’d all chug bottles of water on the road the night before the game, and Danny and Hank would host cheesecake parties in their room for all the Swedes.”
“We’d all come to our first training camp in really good shape; well, Hank never got that memo. He brought an extra 15 pounds with him instead, but he lost it.”
“And then there’s Danny, he’s got a legit candy addiction. He eats half of his body weight in sour keys and Swedish berries every Saturday.”
The siblings eventually managed to hone in on their diet and became famous for their excellent endurance. It was an advantage they held over most of the league and one of the reasons why they were so dominant.
The two brothers are now working for the Canucks after retiring at the end of the 2018 season. They are player development coaches and will take on a larger role this year, including a significant position coaching the power play.
Strudwick played in the NHL for more than a decade, suiting up for the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Canucks, and Chicago Blackhawks.