HORVAT DESERVES TO BE CAPTAIN
Canucks’ most complete player leads teammates by example, says Ben Kuzma.
Second-guessing has become the first compulsion in Vancouver.
Even a well-balanced summation that Bo Horvat should supplant the retired Henrik Sedin as the Canucks’ captain is met with concerns from doubters. They should take a closer look at the Canucks centre and where the National Hockey League is trending.
Horvat has done the work. Consider the following: He came from a championship junior environment with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights.
He’s worked his way up from measured minutes as a fourthline defensive specialist.
He turned his labouring stride into bull rushes.
He overcame scoring droughts and an ankle fracture that sidelined him for 18 games this season.
He came back stronger from injury and with a heightened resolve to still shoulder a firstline role.
He’s a strong net-front presence on the first power play and strong in character with smalltown values and big aspirations.
He scored 10 power-play goals to tie Brock Boeser for the team lead and his 53.8 per cent faceoff efficiency led the club.
He’s been invited to join Team Canada at the world champion- ships. He’s known since Good Friday, but didn’t want to disrupt the Sedins’ retirement week.
As a rookie, Horvat picked Derek Dorsett’s brain. And the past three seasons, he continued to be respectful, humble and impactful on the ice and in promotional and charitable endeavours. Still not convinced? Horvat turned 23 on Thursday. Connor McDavid became the league’s youngest captain at age 19, while Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews were 20 when they assumed the captaincy.
You can argue that Crosby and Toews had better support systems, but you can’t argue that Horvat doesn’t deserve the honour. He has been groomed.
As captain, he would lean on experience. Two revolving veteran alternates at home and on the road would certainly address those concerns.
“Bo has been good and plays a lot of minutes,” said Daniel. “He’s been good for us in front of the net on the power play. We’ll see what role he gets on the power play with the two of us gone.
“We’re not going to say he should be the captain or somebody else. It’s going to be up to management and the team. We have a lot of veterans who could easily become captain. There is a lot of leadership here.”
Still, Horvat hits all the high notes. He’s the club’s most complete player. He finished with 22 goals in 64 games and over a full schedule, he likely would have had 28 or more.
And that’s a big deal.
You can be a growing voice of reason and a bridge between younger and older players. But nothing leads like production. You can’t just talk about it. You have to show it.
“It’s important for leaders to bring it on the ice,” said Canucks forward Sam Gagner. “You see Bo’s compete level and the way he pushes the pace. He does a lot of big things for us and that’s really important as a leader.
“He’s been through a lot as a young player and handled it well, and has a commitment to being a leader within the team concept.”
Nothing stokes the competitive fire like winning. It’s losing that tests your mettle, and that’s where Horvat would need to reach out to the veterans. That shouldn’t be a problem.
He already has their respect as a throwback, old-school player consumed by getting better every day. And if you liked the way Henrik Sedin conducted himself on a daily basis as captain, you’re going to love Horvat.
“It takes a group of people to keep a room together,” added Gagner.
“We talk about the twins all the time because a lot of it (leadership) goes into it off the ice, as well.” Horvat gets all that.
He’s been an engine to help drive the offence and his willingness to improve is unparalleled. His defensive zone game can be better and he can be stronger on pucks. It’s why the captaincy is a no-brainer.
“I’ve been here long enough that I’ve seen what it takes to be a leader and how Hank and Danny have done it for many years and I’m ready to make that next step,” Horvat said before the twins made their retirement official.
“I can be a little bit more vocal and lead by example on the ice.”
In concert with the world championship invite and the Sedins’ career decision, Horvat didn’t want to talk about the captaincy out of respect. Last week was about them, not him. This week will be about the direction the franchise is going to chart and Horvat is all in on listening, learning and leading.
“You still need the veteran presence in the room and we’ve got that in Sudsy (Brandon Sutter), Eagle (Alex Edler) and Taney (Chris Tanev),” said Horvat. “But I have progressed on and off the ice and in the community and locker-room in being able to speak up more, where I haven’t in past years.
“They (the Sedins) have taught me a lot about that.”
It’s time to find out how much Horvat has learned.