Horvat checks all the boxes
Sedin twins patiently groomed Horvat to assume captain’s role
The road to being captain of an NHL team is rarely a smooth, straight line.
The transition demands skill and will, productivity and patience. It requires the ability to lead with on-ice performance and in-room respect. It’s the ultimate honour for those who have overcome obstacles, learned from their peers, and maintained a humble nature driven by an incredible work ethic.
It’s why the 24-year-old Bo Horvat was named the Vancouver Canucks’ 14th captain during a pre-game ceremony Wednesday night at Rogers Arena. He checks all the boxes. He always has.
When former captain Henrik Sedin handed the centre a new jersey stitched with the ‘C’ before the Canucks played the Los Angeles Kings, it was more than passing the leadership torch.
It was the culmination of a long and twisting road for Horvat, who has always exceeded expectations and embraced every challenge.
“We saw a lot of young guys come up,” said Henrik. “Most are good players who want to score, and some that have that extra dimension to them where they see more of a big picture. They think differently than those guys, and he (Horvat) was one of them, for sure.”
And what advice would the former captain pass along to the new man?
“First of all, be yourself,” said Henrik. “He got picked because he is who he is. That’s what they told me when I became the captain. It’s good that they’ve seen him for a few years. If someone comes in and you pick him right away, you don’t really know what kind of guy he is.
“And it’s the guts to be honest with the fans and media. There are going to be times where they lose three in a row but play well enough to win, and you have to say that. And when you win three in a row and play poorly, you’ve got to be able to say that, too.”
A year ago, Horvat believed he was ready for the captaincy after four years of tutelage from Henrik and Daniel Sedin. However, he saw the big picture. The Canucks wanted the centre to improve in every area and not be burdened by additional demands.
That’s a tough sell to a guy who’s wired wanting to do it all and wear the ‘C.’
However, Horvat responded by taking his game to another
level last season. He compiled a career-high 61 points (27-34), played all 82 games, and didn’t pout when the lineup carousel kept spinning. He centred a dozen different wingers and endured three-dozen line combinations. It didn’t go unnoticed.
The manner in which Horvat became a go-to guy, didn’t buckle under persistent pestering by the press, and let his play do the talking sold the Canucks on making the captaincy a launching point for the 50th-anniversary celebrations.
“It’s how I was raised,” said Horvat when asked about his dutiful demeanour. “My parents kept me humble and focused on my goals. I’m not the most vocal guy, but I’ll definitely say some things in the room, and with my play on the ice, to lead by example and be as positive as I can.”
Sounds a lot like a former captain.
Henrik and Daniel were easy targets early on. Their critics swung away because the twins were too slight, too slow and too Swedish. However, their eventual impact on the ice would be matched by the respect they commanded in the room and the community at large. They always took the heat after a loss, but would let teammates soak up post-game plaudits when the Canucks won.
“It’s a Canadian market and the media is hard on guys and the team,” said Horvat. “For you to be that voice is definitely tough, and they (Sedins) stuck with it. They were just complete pros on and off the ice. I learned a lot.”
That wasn’t all Horvat learned about leadership. He endured a 27-game goal drought in 2015-16. The second-year centre couldn’t buy a goal and there were sleepless nights. Then Henrik stepped up and told Horvat he had endured a longer scoring funk. It worked. Horvat bumped the slump on Jan. 4.
“That just goes to show what great leaders can be, or do,” said Horvat.