Now they all know what we’ve known here in Vancouver all along.

When Henrik Sedin was named recipient of the King Clancy Memorial Award on Wednesday during the NHL awards ceremony in Las Vegas — the honour is given to the player who best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice and who has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community — he more than met the criteria. He exceeded it.

The Canucks captain was at his best this trying season despite his own rash of injuries, indifferent team play and the need to be fair but firm with impressionable young players. The Canucks didn’t make the playoffs, but the 35-year-old native of Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, still made a lasting impression on the ice, in the room and in the charitable community. Rookies raved about how Henrik and Daniel Sedin were guiding lights from the first day of training camp until the end of the season — even if it taxed the captain to the limit.

At one point, he couldn’t even stand at the bench with hip and back ailments but played on. And when he was injured in Brooklyn on Jan. 17 and couldn’t play two nights later when the Canucks lost a 3-2 overtime decision at Madison Square Garden, it was telling. The Canucks surrendered 49 shots and somehow stole a point.

“Nobody is Hank,” Canucks winger Jannik Hansen said after the setback. “You can’t take a guy like that out. You can fill 10 spots with other guys and we’ll be fine. Take Hank out and something will be missing. It’s that simple.

“It’s not one of those things you can say can get done by committee because nobody does what he does on the power play and nobody does it in the zone in terms of settling the puck down and puck possession.”

A disappointing 55-point season didn’t keep Sedin from maintaining his place in the community. The list of his charitable endeavours is as long as the list of his franchise records for games played (1,196), plus-minus (+214), assists (748) and points (970).

His tireless efforts of giving time, funds and energy to support children and families throughout B.C., include the Canucks For Kids Fund, B.C. Children’s Hospital and helping the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation raise more than $1.1 million in 2016. Along with his brother, Daniel, and their combined families, a joint $1.5 million donation to build a new B.C. Children’s Hospital in 2010 got widespread publicity, even though the Sedins would have probably preferred to keep the incredible donation quiet. That’s their nature.

“Henrik is a consummate leader and mentor for his teammates and embodies the principles of honesty, integrity and discipline,” said Canucks president of hockey operations Trevor Linden, who is also a former teammate of the highly respected captain. “He has an innate ability to inspire and motivate others through his work ethic and desire to compete at the highest level.”

Henrik also supports Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, which provides palliative care to B.C.’s sickest children and their families. He’s committed to the Canucks Autism Network and has established a charitable foundation, along with Daniel, to reach even more people in the community. The Sedin Family Foundation works with schools, community groups and social service agencies to make a difference in the lives of challenged children and families.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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