VANCOUVER — Bo Horvat doesn’t want his uncertain future with the Vancouver Canucks to be a distraction for the team he has captained since 2019.
Horvat, who can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, responded Tuesday to reports that he recently turned down an eight-year contract offer from Vancouver and as a result the Canucks have begun exploring trading him.
“I am focused on this season and playing for the Vancouver Canucks, helping the team in any way I can,” he said in a statement released by the team. “I will not have any further comments this year about my future.”
Later Tuesday, the 27-year-old center answered three questions after practice about his ongoing contract situation.
“I’ve always wanted to keep this kind of thing confidential and I’ve always, right from the beginning of the season, just wanted to focus on hockey and focus on the team and winning games and trying to lead this team by example and don’t let this be a distraction,” Horvat said. “That’s why I kind of released a statement where I just want people to respect my privacy and my choice to keep this confidential and private. … I feel bad for my teammates having to hear all about this in the media and I don’t want to be a distraction, so I apologize to them.”
Horvat was selected by the Canucks in the first round (No. 9) of the 2013 NHL Draft and has played all nine of his NHL seasons with Vancouver. Horvat, in the final season of a six-year, $33 million contract he signed on Sept. 8, 2017, played his 600th game in a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, and has 395 points (190 goals, 205 assists).
The Canucks named Horvat captain Oct. 9, 2019, replacing Henrik Sedin, who retired after the 2017-18 season.
“I want to be a Vancouver Canuck,” Horvat said. “I’m a Vancouver Canuck right now until they say otherwise. I’ve had nothing but respect for this organization and I’m very loyal to this organization and I’m going to continue to do so.”
Horvat admitted the situation has not been easy for him or his family.
“Obviously it takes a toll,” Horvat said. “I’m getting lots of text messages and my parents and wife and everybody, so it puts a lot of stress on them but for the most part my family has been my rock, so they are handling it with class and people are respecting their privacy too.”
Despite those distractions, Horvat is having his best season.
With 20 goals and 29 points in 28 games, he is on pace to smash previous NHL single-season highs of 31 goals (last season) and 61 points (in 2018-19). The 20 goals lead the Canucks (12-13-3).
Entering Vancouver’s game at the Calgary Flames on Wednesday (10 pm ET; TNT, SN NOW), he leads all Canucks forwards in average ice time (20:53), is a key part of the top power play unit, tops forwards in short -handed ice time, and continues to lead the NHL in face-offs taken (678).
“He’s navigating it pretty damn well,” the defenseman Luke Schenn said. “It goes to show what type of guy he is, what type of leader he is, a guy that’s pretty sharp between the ears and doesn’t let too much get to him. He brings it every night, plays a 200-foot game , big minutes against other team’s top lines and both sides of special teams.”
Horvat leads the NHL in face-offs taken (6,879) the past five seasons, winning 55.4 percent, which ranks eighth among players who have taken at least 4,000. He credits this season’s improved offense in part to working with former NHL center Adam Oates, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012 and now works as a consultant through Oates Sports Group.
“A lot of it for me is just positionally, where to be all over the ice, reading plays differently than I did in the past,” Horvat said of working with Oates. “That’s been a lot of the keys to my success so far. He’s had a big help with me watching videos and where I’ve been successful and where I’m not so successful, too, so it’s been great for me.”
Despite the distraction of an uncertain future.
“I’ve tried to put it in the back of my mind and just go and play, try to lead this team to the playoffs and do whatever I can to help the team win and try not to let it be a distraction and so far, it’s been good,” Horvat said.
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