What’s the Deal, Bo?! Canucks Horvat Quiet on Contract Talk

Asked repeatedly about his lack of a new deal 11 days from the start of training camp and a season away from the end of his current contract, Canucks captain Bo Horvat kept an even keel and responded in a tempered, non-obligatory manner. As is his way.

“Obviously it’s a lengthy process,” Horvat said Monday after the team’s informal practice. “I’m kind of leaving that up to my agency and Pat Morris and just keeping it private. Obviously I want to be a Vancouver Canuck, I want to stay here, I love our group, my wife and I love the city, and if I wanted to play for one team for my whole career it would be Vancouver. We’ll see where it goes.”

His agent made it clear to VHN ten days ago that neither he nor his player would be chit chatting about the process. “A private matter for the player,” was one way Morris described it, a concept Horvat echoed. That’s fine.

The wait obviously leads to speculation, impatience for some Canucks fans and observers, and a potential distraction if no agreement is reached by puck drop for the season opener in Edmonton on October 12th.

If it’s not settled by then, and we think it will be, then the player and agent will likely have to decide whether or not to cut off the conversations until season’s end in order to avoid said distractions.

“It is what it is again,” Horvat responded moments later. “These things take time. Sometimes they take longer than others. For me, I’m just focusing on myself in terms of getting ready for camp, being the best leader I can, on and off the ice, and the chips will fall where they fall. I’m excited for camp, I’m excited for our group, can’t wait for camp to start.”

There were no repercussions whatsoever from the broken tibia suffered on a shot block against the Arizona Coyotes that cost him the final seven games of the season. It was a pleasant summer with family, with a baby girl added to the clan just before the off-season.

“It was an awesome summer,” Horvat stated. “I definitely feel ready to go, as good as shape as it’s going to get, and obviously I had a lot of fun with the family this summer, but I’m really anxious to get things started here this year.”

Horvat followed that up by referencing J.T. Miller’s new contract extension, and not in a way that would raise any alarms about his not getting done.

“I’m really excited about this year, a lot of key pieces, getting ‘Millsy’ signed was obviously huge for our group, obviously a heck of a player and a leader in our room,” Horvat said. “It was great to see them get that done. I’m happy for him.”

Happy for his current and future Canucks teammate.