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But the Canucks, who start their season Saturday, need the Sedins to be more than productive. They need them to be among the best players in the league.

Is it possible?

In two of the past three seasons, injuries have broken Henrik in the second half of the season.

Was it fluke? Was it coincidence? Or are the Sedins wearing down?

“When do you slow down?” head coach Willie Desjardins asked. “Do you slow down at 29? 27?

“What is the optimal age? I think you can change that (ageing) process by how hard you train.”

Photo by Jeff Bassett / Vancouver Sun

The Sedins have that part down. Annually, they blow up the team’s fitness testing. They are the players everyone in Vancouver measures themselves against, and it’s been that way for the better part of a decade.

Plus, whatever they’re missing in youth, they make up for in 16 years of experience. In a league with so an increasing number of star teenagers, that has to be worth something.

“I was asked about the goaltending (this year in the league), but maybe the reason so many goals are being scored this season is the younger players are making mistakes,” Desjardins said. “I think that’s where the older players don’t make mistakes. They’ve gone through it.”

If the dire predictions of the Canucks season is getting to Henrik, it’s not showing. He sees a better team than last year, one that is more experienced and one which has far more goals in it.

“I see 15-20 from that guy,” Henrik said, pointing to Brandon Sutter. “Loui (Eriksson) coming in is going to make it better.