Canucks: How do you coach Sedins? A trio learned there’s no playbook

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TORONTO — How do you coach greatness?

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Do you insist on instructing and imposing your will? Do you stand back and marvel at the artistry? Or do you simply value having acting assistant coaches in Henrik and Daniel Sedin?

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The legendary Vancouver Canucks duo — along with standout franchise goaltender Roberto Luongo — will be officially welcomed into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Friday afternoon in the ring and blazer ceremony and then toasted and roasted at the Monday night gala.

Willie Desjardins had memorable moments with the Sedins over his three seasons as the Canucks bench boss, and was hard pressed to summarize the experience. It was the same for Marc Crawford and Alain Vigneault.

Did Desjardins do more coaxing than coaching? And did he get caught up the twins’ trademark slick Sedinery?

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“You don’t know what’s going to transpire until you get on the bench, and once you’ve done that, you just let them play their game,” Desjardins told Postmedia from Medicine Hat, where he now serves as head coach of the Western Hockey League Tigers.

“They’re pretty darn smart and it was like I’ve got to stay out of their way — they know what they’re doing. They never cheated the game and always put themselves in the best possible position to succeed.

“I can’t compare them to other players. They’re in their own category. They were absolutely unbelievable, and what really stood out for me was their commitment to play the right way and very honourable in how they approached it.”

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The Sedins also knew how to disarm any situation with humour. Desjardins had his challenges running the bench and often leaned to the twins to turn around club fortunes.

“One night I said to Hank: ‘We have to make everyone more accountable if we’re going to win and it starts with you and Danny’ ” recalled Desjardins. “And Hank says to me: ‘Willie, last game Danny told me five times that I was the worst player on the ice.’ ”

Desjardins guided the Sedins during the club’s 101-point season in 2014-15 to earn a post-season date with the plucky Calgary Flames. The durable twins had a rebound season and played all 82 games. Daniel would collect 76 points (20-56) while Henrik had 73 points (18-55).

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They were the foundation for a long Stanley Cup run, but a funny thing happened while planning the parade route in Vancouver. 

The Sedins struggled to produce — four points apiece in a startling six-game exit — despite Daniel having 22 series shots and 56 attempts and Henrik managing 15 shots and 29 attempts.

Desjardins drew criticism for cutting Daniel’s ice time to 15:05 in a critical 4-2 loss in Game 3 that put the Canucks down 2-1 in the series. The winger would log 20:54 and Henrik 20:03 in Game 4, but the club lost again and was on the ropes.

What was Desjardins thinking in Game 3? Rolling four lines because his bottom six had been pretty good?

“There might not have been any thinking going into it — I’m not sure,” admitted Desjardins. “When I go back and look at it, I don’t know why that would happen.

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“We did try to roll four lines and that’s why we were successful that year. And usually, there are more power plays in the playoffs and there weren’t a lot and that’s where they (Sedins) pick up the extra time on the PP.”

So, how did the conversation go?

“They didn’t come to me because they wanted more ice time, they would come and talk about trying to help the team if they were playing more,” added Desjardins. “And there’s a total difference. They totally believed they were going to play better and they would say something, but not in a bad way.

“What hurt us was losing Alex Burrows (broken ribs, Game 3) and that was a big blow.”

Crawford knew that the chemistry the Sedins displayed in practices and games would be their ticket to greatness. But how do you coach that?

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“My job in those early years was to manage them more than coach,” said Crawford. “Away from the puck, there was a little bit for them to learn, how they were going to be tested and their ability to withstand the physicality.

“It kept giving them opportunities. There was never a question about competitiveness. But they had to get stronger and understand the rigours of the game and I give them all the credit in the world as supremely conditioned athletes and among the best I’ve ever seen.”

Crawford also believes  journeyman Trent Klatt played a key support role for the Sedins.

Best known for his lumberjack shirts, a disarming demeanour and appreciating every day in The Show, the winger was an intriguing fit for the Sedins.

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“It was the early chemistry they had with Klatt,” added Crawford, who spent seven seasons patrolling the Canucks’ bench. “The twins were severely undersized from a standpoint of strength and Trent seemed to clear space for them and they took such advantage of it.

“I was not only impressed how they used each other, but how they recognized to take advantage of Klatt’s ability. Trent was a recovery player. He lost his way and we sent him to the minors and he fought his way back. 

“He ended up being a big part to help them develop as quickly as they did. He was the right guy. He went to the net, was big and strong, and his personality was non-threatening — a guy they really appreciated. It helped Trent more than them.”

Fast forward and Crawford marvels how the Sedins have embraced a bigger role within the organization. First as observers, and now as on-ice aides for young and veteran players, it takes a special kind of commitment. Many want to stay in the game after retirement, but the Sedins wanted to pay it forward to the team and the city.

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“I’m impressed by the patience,” noted Crawford. “There are so many star people I’ve seen who want to continue in hockey but don’t understand patience. The Sedins want to know everything and are life-long learners.

“We haven’t seen the last of their contributions for the Canucks. I can forecast a day when it will be great again because of them and the capacity they have to make it happen.”

When Vigneault replaced Crawford for the 2006-07 season, the Canucks had natural leaders in Markus Naslund, Brendan Morrison, Sami Salo and Mattias Ohlund. Trevor Linden would retire the following season, but was still a voice of reason and staunch supporter of the twins.

The following season, Vigneault saw the twins take their all-in mantra to another level. They had already staked their place in the game, but wanted more. Much more.

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“I was tougher on the twins than any other players,” stressed Vigneault. “They came to see me in my office and were growing in their leadership, responsibility and accountability. 

“They said to me: ‘You know AV, if you’ve got something that might be more on the negative side — and if you could find us doing it — it might be better for the team.’ ”

If Vigneault really wanted to get his message across to the group, and especially those who needed a wake-up call, why not target the twins? Calling out fourth-liners doesn’t move the motivation meter.

“It was just their way of saying if you need to be tougher on the group, be tougher on us,” said Vigneault. “We’ll be able to handle it and it will send the right message.

“They were some of the toughest guys I’ve ever coached. Competing for pucks and once they had it, try taking it away from them. 

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“Anybody who played with them was instantly good. They made a lot of careers.”

bkuzma@postmedia.com

twitter.com/benkuzma

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