Canucks commit $61M to Sedins

It looks as if the Sedins will be staying put in Vancouver.

Brothers Daniel and Henrik Sedin re-signed with the Canucks on Wednesday, right before the NHL free agency feeding frenzywas set to begin at noon.

The twins both signed five-year deals worth $30.5 million US each.

"We really like it in Vancouver, and that's where we wanted to stay," Henrik Sedin said Wednesday on a conference call.

"Coming down to the last few days, we've been in Stockholm with our agents and our families and we walked through our possible options."

Canucks general manager Mike Gillis and assistant Laurence Gilman flew to Sweden earlier this week to meet with the brothers and give them last-ditch offers.

"To see Mike and Laurence come over here, it meant a lot to us. It made our decision easier for sure," Henrik Sedin said.

Both contracts have no-movement clauses.

"Daniel and Henrik Sedin are this club's offensive leaders and players we want to build around," Gillis said in a statement.

"Their level of performance in every area of the game is exceptional both Daniel and Henrik are committed to winning and we want them to succeed as Vancouver Canucks."

Twin threats

Daniel's 31 goals last seasonwas tops for the team,and Henrik's 22 was good for fourth. They were also tied for the team scoring lead,with 82 points.

It was the same story in the playoffs, as Daniel's and Henrik's 10 points each(both with four goals and six assists) led the Canucks.

"It's important for us to know we're going to stay here," Henrik Sedin said. "If we keep playing the way we think we can and getting better here for the next couple years, I think it's going to be an exciting time here in Vancouver."

Over eight seasons, all with Vancouver, the two have tallied 288 goals, 634 assists, and 922 points in 1,288 games combined, and have only missed 25 games total due to injury.

They were drafted by the Canucks Daniel went second andHenrik went third overall in the 1999 NHL draft when then general manager Brian Burke memorably made a flurry of trades to nab the twins.

Some other signings (amounts are for the entire contract):

• Ty Conklin (G), St. Louis Blues, two years, $2.6 million US.
• Steve Montador (D), Buffalo Sabres, two years, $3.1 million US.
• Mike Knuble (RW), Washington Capitals, two years, $5.6 million US.
• Donald Brashear (LW), New York Rangers, two years, $2.8 million US.
• Craig Anderson (G), Colorado Avalanche, two years, $3.6 million US.
• Andy Greene (D), New Jersey Devils (re-signed), terms undisclosed.
• Erik Cole (D), Carolina Hurricanes (re-signed), two years, $5.8 million US.