Horvat has banner day, with new baby and positive news about leg injury
Canucks captain says break in tibia doesn't require surgery, just some healing time
Bo Horvat hit the daily double.
The Vancouver Canucks captain and his wife, Holly, welcomed a new baby girl, Tulsa, Saturday and the centre also learned that recovery from his season-ending injury is encouraging.
Horvat hoped for the best but feared the worst when struck in the lower right leg on April 14 by an Anton Stralman point shot. He was banking on a stinger but suffered a fracture.
“I broke the end of my tibia and luckily there was no displacement or anything like that,” he said Sunday during year-end media availability at Rogers Arena. “It doesn't require surgery, just six to eight weeks and I'm just healing day to day.”
The break obviously hurt, judging by the pain etched on the captain's face, but being sidelined from an impressive playoff push by his club that went 32-15-10 under the guidance of Bruce Boudreau was a mental strain. Especially with a career 31-goal season, that included nine goals in 12 games before he was sidelined.
“I'm not going to lie, it sucked all around,” said Horvat. “Obviously, at the time, I thought it (injury) was a stinger because it hit me on the shot blocker. It was tough to let that sink in because you feel like you let your teammates down when you can't help at the most important time of the year.”
Horvat missed a dozen games this season due to a COVID-19 diagnosis and then his injury, but led the club in faceoff efficiency (57 per cent), which was eighth best in the NHL. He also won the second most power play draws overall, took the sixth most and won the sixth-most faceoffs.
It has given Horvat more hope for the future from a team perspective and given him some leverage for a contract extension with a year left on his deal at US$5.5 million.
“There are always ups and downs in a season and I definitely had that this year, but the better part of my game came toward the end when we were playing better and winning games and really coming together as a team,” he said.
“But it wasn't good enough to make the playoffs and that's disappointing. Who knows? In those first 25 games (8-152), if we're even .500 or just a little bit better, we're in a playoff spot right now. We did that to ourselves but I couldn't be more proud of the group at the end when a lot of people counted us out.
“We should be excited about the future and getting off to a better start.”
DEMKO, PEARSON ON THE MEND
Thatcher Demko tried to backstop the Canucks when it mattered the most, but a nagging ailment ended his season in the final week.
“It happened probably a month ago and it was during a game,” recalled Demko, who finished his season with career highs in appearances (64), wins (33) and goalsagainst average (2.72). “I knew something wasn't right, but we were in the (playoff) mix and it was something I was just trying to play through the last little bit.
“Ultimately, it got to a point where the decision (was made) with the medical staff to shut it down. We're still thinking what the next steps might be.”
Tanner Pearson suffered a thumb fracture when the winger crashed into the Plexiglas on the first shift against Arizona on April 7.
“I was close to getting back and it was a real tough time for it to happen,” said Pearson, who had five goals in a seven-game stretch in February. “It's probably halfway healed and we'll just take it week by week.”