Horvat Doubtful, Canucks May Have Lost Their Captain

Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat is highly doubtful for Monday’s game against the Dallas Stars and his prognosis for the rest of the season remains hush-hush for now.

“I don’t think he’ll be available Monday,” Canucks Head Coach Bruce Boudreau told Vancouver Hockey Now and Sportsnet TV. “I think Bo is doubtful, would be the best way to put it.”

It’s an acute injury, puck off bone. This is not like a groin pull, with it’s varying degrees of severity and recovery, it’s either a deep bruise or a break. Neither would bode well for the Canucks goal scoring leader, who’s reeled off nine goals in his last eleven games prior to Thursday night against Arizona.

Horvat played 8:16 against the Coyotes, injured by an Anton Stralman slapshot off the inside of his right foot/ankle 1:15 into the 2nd period.

Horvat hobbled to the bench and went directly to the Vancouver dressing room.

Obviously it would be a huge loss for the Canucks as they continue to reel off wins in a last ditch effort to secure an unlikely playoff spot.

“You’re not going to make up the goals, you’re not going to make up the face-offs, those are tough things to do,” Boudreau said as we circled back to potential plans without Horvat. “We’ll have to find ways around it, we’re a pretty good defensive team and we’ll have to play great defence, especially if Pearson’s not playing, and Boeser’s not playing and Bo’s not playing, that’s three of your top six players right there.”

Boeser is expected to take part in the full practice on Saturday. Pearson not so much. 4th-line winger Matthew Highmore, out since March 24th with an upper body injury, should be available for Monday’s game. A bonus, but hardly a replacement for the captain.

“We’ll have to tighten it up, I know since I’ve been here anyway, we’re in the top-5 defensively in the league, so it’s something we can do,” Boudreau added.

The Vancouver Canucks unlikely climb to the playoff promised land just got steeper.