Canucks general manager Mike Gillis wasn't stretching the truth when he called Daniel and Henrik Sedin the "top two free agents out there," so his ability to keep his best offensive players—and at a hometown discount and reasonable term—shouldn't be discounted, especially since it almost didn't happen.

The identical twins signed appropriately matching five-year, $30.5 million extensions just hours before they were set to hit the July 1 open market, putting a happy ending to yearlong negotiations that appeared to be off the rails after a meeting with their agent, J.P. Barry, at the NHL Draft just a few days earlier. Things got back on track when Barry boarded a plan for Sweden to meet the twins, and was greeted by Gillis and assistant GM Laurence Gilman.

"It...