Former Canucks Assistant General Manager Suggests Vancouver Should Bring Back Former Captain Bo Horvat

Whenever the Vancouver Canucks take on the New York Islanders, debates surrounding Bo Horvat start to occur in the market. Just over two years ago, the Canucks elected to trade their captain to the Islanders in exchange for a first-round pick, winger Anthony Beauvillier and center Aatu Räty. The first-round pick was then dealt to the Detroit Red Wings, which helped Vancouver land defenseman Filip Hronek. 

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One of the reasons the Canucks made the Horvat trade was due to salary cap restraints. The organization had signed J.T. Miller to a long-term extension in the summer and didn't have the cap space to offer Horvat a similar contract. Shortly after being dealt to New York, Horvat signed an eight-year extension with the Islanders, which carries a cap hit of $8.5 million.

Fast-forward to 2025, and Vancouver is in a complicated situation. They are projected to miss the playoffs and have some key free agents who may be leaving in the offseason. Ultimately, the Canucks roster will look very different in 2025-26, as if Vancouver misses the playoffs, they will be looking to put this season behind them and build for the future. 

One change that has been suggested for next season is bringing back Horvat. This idea was recently proposed by Former Assistant General Manager Laurence Gilman on an episode of "Sekeres & Price". Gilman was part of the management group that drafted Horvat, and feels that his addition to the Canucks lineup would help solve some of Vancouver's roster issues. 

"In theory, he makes great sense for the Canucks, said Gilam. "If you slot him in behind Elias Pettersson as your number two center-ice man, and sort of your linchpin, Swiss-army-knife center, it would be great. I don't know if the Islanders are looking to move him, but he would be. If you are looking for a complement to Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat probably fits like a glove."

As Gilman pointed out, this would not be the first time Vancouver acquired a former captain back via trade. During the 2000-01 season, the Canucks acquired Trevor Linden from the Washington Capitals after trading him to the Islanders in 1998. Gilman referenced this trade when asked if Horvat would accept a deal to a team run by the same management group that dealt him, saying, "Things change. You can go home in this business." 

Based on where Vancouver is an organization, bringing in a player like Horvat makes a ton of sense. He has familiarity with players like Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes and would strength the Canucks center ice position, as well as their power play. All that's left to ask at this point is what it would cost to bring Horvat back to Vancouver this off-season.

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