Henrik Sedin has had better seasons than he did last year. There was that time he won the scoring title, for instance. In 2015-16, however, Henrik scored fewer than half as many points as he did in his Art Ross season.
Henrik scored 11 goals last season, which doesn't sound great, especially when some four-eyed jerk points out that he scored the same number of goals in the lockout-shortened, 48-game season. But for what it's worth. Henrik has scored 11 in 3 of the past 4 seasons. Maybe he wants to score 11, since it's his number minus Daniel's number, as well as, in another way, Henrik plus Daniel: one plus one, bros forever. He probably does it to be poetic. Really makes you think.
Either way, it's safe to say that the Sedins are on the other side of their peak years. Normally, Henrik's entries in the Every Goal series have a bit more Sedinery of the category wizardous. They're hardly has-beens, though. There's still some Sedinery. Watch any random sampling of 11 Henrik Sedin goals and you're bound to be wowed a couple times, either by the puck control that runs in his family, or his passing ability, which is so complete that even his shots are passes. Here's every goal Henrik scored in 2015-16. Â
1 | October 7 vs Calgary Flames
Henrik got off to a great start last year, scoring in the first game of the season, and on some textbook Sedinery. After Brandon Sutter loses the puck behind the goal, Daniel Sedin picks it up, and with all five Flames still looking at Sutter for some reason, the twins may as wel be alone on the ice. They're only unattended for a second or so, and neither one of them is above the goal line, but that isn't enough to stop the Sedins when they're on their game. Daniel makes a savvy bank pass to his brother, and Henrik doesn't so much shoot the puck as he gingerly places it under the crossbar. It's an impressive score, and doubly so when you consider that Henrik is closer to that Popeye's ad than he is to the goalmouth. Â
2 | October 22 vs Washington Capitals
Unsurprisingly, it's Daniel to Henrik once again for Henrik's second of the season, scored on the powerplay. This time Henrik starts above the goal line, which seems like it'd be easier, but this is Henrik Sedin we're talking about, so this standard one-timer from the bottom of the faceoff circle somehow looks more difficult than shooting from behind the net. These are not normal guys. Henrik doesn't get much on the shot, but Braden Holtby fails to seal the post with much conviction -- I think because he, like the rest of us, doesn't expect a Henrik one-timer. Even after the goal, he struggles to believe it even happened. Â Â
3 | November 7 vs Buffalo Sabres
The Canucks score here on some great transition work. The puck is going backwards at the beginning of this clip, but a great outlet pass from Matt Bartkowski and a burst of speed from Ben Hutton brings this puck inside the Buffalo end in a hurry. Hutton gets rubbed out along the boards, but not before handing off for Daniel Sedin, who finds Henrik wide open -- again, because no one ever expects him to shoot. But he does, and with great results. Bonus points to Jannik Hansen, who starts this play deep in his own end, and is parked in front of the Buffalo goal by the time Henrik receives the puck. Â Â
4 | November 10 vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Hansen's speed is a factor on Henrik's fourth of the season as well. He starts this breakout, handing off for Daniel, then racing into the Columbus end to retrieve the puck and surprise everyone with a backhand, cross-crease pass that leaves Henrik with a tap-in. The Canucks refused to trade Hansen this offseason, and you can see why. Their goal is to get faster, and trading Hansen in an effort to do so is like cutting off your legs to do so. Sure, you'll cut down on drag, but if you think about it, you'll also increase drag. Â Â
5Â | November 10 vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Henrik's fifth of the season comes at the end of the same game (6:18 of this highlight package), as he scores an empty-netter from well on his own side of centre. But this is a good shot for Henrik. As we've already seen, he's more about precision than power. Little wonder that, without even looking -- he's not even looking! -- Henrik can place this puck right between the posts.Â
6 | November 21 vs Chicago Blackhawks
The Canucks connect here on a 5-on-3, and Henrik benefits from yet another goalie expecting pigs to fly before he has to consider Henrik Sedin his biggest scoring threat. Heck, earlier in the same clip, Henrik has the puck in a better area, and all the time in the world, and he still passes. Safe to assume he won't be the shooter. But on the second try, after Daniel finds him with a crisp pass across the crease, Henrik powers the puck past Corey Crawford, who, like Braden Holtby, can only sit and stew in his own disbelief after being beaten by Henrik.
7 | November 22 vs New Jersey Devils
It's been said that the best way to stop the Sedins is, simply, to not make any mistakes. They're tactical masters, creating and exploiting holes in defensive coverage with their expert passing and control under pressure. Just don't screw up, and you should survive their attack. Unfortunately, Cory Schneider screws up here, handing the puck right to Daniel, who finds Henrik cruising through the middle of the ice. Henrik, unlike Schneider, makes no mistake. Â Â
8 | November 27 vs Dallas Stars
Henrik actually tries a slapshot in this sequence. Silly Henrik. The power game doesn't suit you. You're more given to Sedinery. Try that. As it happens, Henrik does try that, moving closer to the goal to receive Daniel's no-look backpass. The Sedins might be the only guys in hockey for whom a complicated trick play is a much better option than, you know, just shooting the puck.Â
9 | December 7 vs Buffalo Sabres
For this goal, the part of Henrik's setup man, usually played by Daniel, will be played by Alex Edler. On a 4-on-3 powerplay, Edler finds himself with all the room in the world, thanks to an expert box-out from Henrik on Josh Gorges. And with Linus Ullmark braced for a clapper from Edler, he leaves the five-hole open for a redirect from Henrik. John Garrett blames the goaltender for his stance, but, again, goalies have to assess their threat level, and if I'm playing goal, I'm far more fearful of Alex Edler shooting from there than passing the puck to Henrik. Usually a pass to Henrik means you have at least one more pass before the shot. Â
10 | February 15 vs Minnesota Wild
This is Henrik's second goal of the season from below the goal line. He may have led the league in that category last year. This one's an accident, as Henrik is actually attempting a whirlybird super-pass to Sven Baertschi, but the puck deflects off Devan Dubnyk's stick and into the goal. Kind of a bummer that it happened that way, though. If the puck gets through to Baertschi, this one lands on the highlight reel instead of the blooper reel.Â
11 | March 16 vs Colorado Avalanche
I love that this goal is labelled "Nikita Tryamkin's first NHL point". I mean, sure, that's notable and all, but I think it's safe to say that the twins, and Henrik especially, do most of the work here. First, Henrik corrals the rebound, kicking it to his stick then sliding it to Daniel. Then he gets ahold of the second rebound, twisting to possess the puck then sliding it home while falling to the ice. But, sure, this is a Nikita Tryamkin highlight.
