Daniel Sedin on verge of 1,000 points for Canucks

NEWARK, N.J. --Daniel Sedin will have a chance at history when the Vancouver Canucks play the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday (2 p.m. ET; SN, MSG, NHL.TV).
The forward, who has 998 points (375 goals, 623 assists) in 17 seasons with Vancouver, can join his twin brother, Henrik Sedin, as the only players to score 1,000 points with the Canucks.

But don't expect a big celebration from Daniel when he gets there.
"When [the record] happens, it happens," said the 37-year-old, who had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Friday. "I think this year is obviously a little different with my role on the team, so it can happen next game or happen in six games, but we'll take it when it happens."

His teammates likely won't be as subdued.
"I'll be pretty pumped and celebrating hard when he gets it," forward Jake Virtanen said. "Both Sedins are legends, and people don't give them the credit they deserve, but they've played a lot of tough games. When together, they're almost unstoppable with how they pass to each other; it's pretty special to watch."
In addition to Henrik Sedin, five active NHL players have reached 1,000 points: Jaromir Jagr of the Calgary Flames, Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks, Patrick Marleau of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"I've said a lot of times [Daniel and Henrik Sedin] are Hall of Fame hockey players and Hall of Fame people," Canucks coach Travis Green said. "[Daniel] is going to get those two points, we know that, and it'll be a nice accomplishment. He's been in the League a long time and has done a lot of great things."
Daniel's best season was 2010-11, his 10th in the League. He won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL scoring leader with 104 points (41 goals, 63 assists). The Canucks have gone to a younger and faster lineup in this first season under Green, and as a result the Sedins have seen their ice time diminish. Daniel averaged 18:03 last season and is averaging 14:02 this season; Henrik averaged 19:02 last season and is averaging 14:05 this season.
"They're not playing as much as they once were, but just having been around them and what they mean for that franchise and that city, it has always been the twins," said Devils goalie Cory Schneider, who played five seasons for Vancouver before he was traded to New Jersey on June 30, 2013. "That kind of consistency and the way you represent your team and organization means a lot, so I think they could be Hall of Famers one day."
When Henrik scored his 1,000th NHL point against the Florida Panthers on Jan. 21 last season, a goal on that Daniel assisted, he became the 38th player to do so with one NHL franchise and the fourth Sweden-born player to reach the milestone, joining Mats Sundin (1,349), Daniel Alfredsson (1,157) and Nicklas Lidstrom (1,142).
Henrik scored his 1,000th point (233 goals, 767 assists) in his 1,213th game in his 16th season and has 1,031 points (239 goals, 792 assists) in 1,271 games.

"When it happened to me, I don't think I realized how big a thing it was until it happened, and I'm sure it'll be the same for him," he said.
Schneider said that though Daniel will reach the milestone, he will remember him and his brother more for what kind of people they were on and off the ice.
"They are two guys who didn't have it easy," Schneider said. "I've read the stories of them as teenagers and in their early 20s and how people questioned whether they could play and were tough enough. But here they are, 16 years later, one over 1,000 points and the other on the verge of getting there.
"I know they don't consider what kind of person you are when they look at your numbers, but Daniel and Henrik are two of the best people I've played with in this game and I think that's unanimous around the League."
Daniel, taken by the Canucks with the No. 2 pick in the 1999 NHL Draft -- Henrik was No. 3 -- was appreciative when told of Schneider's comments.
"It means a lot," Daniel said. " Because when you leave this game it's not so much what you do on the ice, but the impressions you left."