Henrik Sedin wants Canucks fans to keep doing the Viking Clap

Apr 7 2018, 12:04 am

It finally happened.

Last year, we caught wind of something Henrik Sedin said before the season began. When asked about what the players could do to salute their fans, Henrik mentioned that he thought the Viking Clap was cool.

Fresh off playing for Sweden at the World Cup of Hockey, he saw it first hand. A few of the Swedes in attendance started doing the clap that has been sweeping the world the last few years, in multiple sports. Some Canadian hockey fans joined in, too.

Given that Henrik was approaching the thousandth-point milestone, I floated this idea out there:

The Canucks were actually going to try it (truthfully, I thought it was going to fail) with Johnny Canuck leading the charge.

Just one problem: Henrik was too damn humble.

When a Canucks staff member cleared the idea with him, Henrik said he didn’t want to be in the spotlight. For Henrik, it was all about the team.

So they respected his wishes and the idea was dropped.

Well, if at first you don’t succeed, then try, try again.

Instead of saluting 1,000 points, it was a moment to recognize the careers of two Canucks legends.

And this time, the Canucks didn’t tell them about it.

Before the start of the third period, with Johnny Canuck leading the charge on the big screen, Vancouver hockey fans were a quick study.

As the Canucks skated onto the ice to begin the period, 18,865 fans were standing and clapping in salute of the dynamic Swedish duo.

Perhaps the Viking Clap motivated the players on the ice, because the Canucks dominated the third period. They outshot Arizona 15-0 in the third frame, getting a goal from Jake Virtanen in just over a minute. Then Brendan Leipsic channeled his inner Daniel Sedin with a dazzling spin-o-rama goal to tie the game at the 8:15 mark.

And by now you know what happened in overtime.

Johnny Canuck was actually watching in the lower bowl of the arena with a drum, so the Viking Clap got going a few more times the rest of the way.

So… What did Henrik think of the Vancouver Viking Clap?

“That was nice! Surprising,” Henrik told reporters. “Hopefully they can keep it going here and be something Canucks fans can start doing and be famous for.”

You heard it. Henrik’s orders.

See also
Rob WilliamsRob Williams

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