Jump to content
The Official Site of the Vancouver Canucks
Enter Search Term. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search.
Forum Closure ×
Canucks Community
Forum Closure

Canucks prospect Bo Horvat primed for rookie showcase

TheRussianRocket.

By TheRussianRocket.
in Canucks Talk

Recommended Posts

TheRussianRocket. Canucks All-Star

TheRussianRocket.

Posted
Posted

http://www.vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=10182966

VANCOUVER -- London was calling but, for Bo Horvat, its Vancouver now.

The elite Vancouver Canucks prospect is still a junior at age 19 and thus remains tied to the Ontario Hockey Leagues London Knights. He attended their 2014 training camp and played in four intra-squad games for them.

Then the Knights, who are led by former NHLers Mark and Dale Hunter, did something special for Horvat. They excused him from the OHL exhibition season so he could chase his NHL dream. Horvat has been in Vancouver since Labour Day, skating with Canuck veterans and other top prospects Hunter Shinkaruk, Nicklas Jensen, Brendan Gaunce and Dane Fox among them in informal workouts at Britannia Arena.

Horvats next official function is the Young Stars tournament in Penticton. It begins Thursday with a practice and Friday with a game against the Edmonton Oiler prospects. Bo knows the Hunters were within their rights to keep him in London until the last possible moment, but they chose to let him go early.

Oh, for sure, they could have said they wanted me to stay, but the Hunters know what it takes to get to the next level, Horvat explained. Theyve played in the NHL and they understand the situation 100 per cent. So for them to let me come out here early, it shows a lot of respect for me. Thats why London is a great organization.

The Canucks, he noted, were the ones pushing for Horvat to join the group skating at Britannia. Their reasoning was obvious: doing drills and scrimmaging daily with the Sedin twins, Alex Burrows, Chris Higgins and other members of the big club would likely benefit Horvat more than any junior exhibition game.

They just thought it would be best if I came out here a little bit earlier and skated with these guys and just kind of got my legs under me before I go off to Penticton, he said. The Knights were totally fine with it. They just wanted me to participate in their training camp to kind of be a leader there and show the younger guys, but as soon as the intra-squad games and stuff were over they said it was fine to go out to Vancouver.

Horvats situation has, of course, been well documented. Ousted general manager Mike Gillis dealt No. 1 goalie Cory Schneider to New Jersey at the 2013 entry draft for the pick that became Horvat. No pressure there, right? Now Horvat, as a 19-year-old, is facing the prospect of a fourth season in junior if he is unable to crack the Canucks lineup. There can be no American Hockey League for him. He is too young.

He concedes it is weighing on him. Shinkaruk, Gaunce and Fox are all older and eligible to be assigned to the Canucks Utica Comets farm team. They will be available for call-ups at any time. For Horvat, there is no such luxury. If he goes back to London, he will be frozen in London until the Knights are eliminated from the playoffs, or miss them entirely.

You try not to think about it too much, but its always in the back of your mind, said Horvat, a native of Rodney, Ont. You want to make the team as quickly as possible and I think Ive worked hard all summer and that Im ready to make that jump to the next level. But if that doesnt work out, I have a great place to go back to in London. Ill just keep developing there and keep getting better. But my main goal is to try and make this team.

Preparation for Penticton, and the main Canucks camp the following week, shouldnt be an issue for Horvat. He attended the Canucks development camp in early July, was at Canadas world junior camp in early August and then the Knights camp in late August. Too much ice time? Not in his mind.

No, I feel great actually, he replied. This is the best Ive felt in my career. I think this is the best shape Ive been in. Its been a busy summer again, but I love being on the ice in the summertime. I take maybe two weeks, or two-and-a-half weeks, off and Im right back on the ice. Its just the way Ive always trained. Its the way Ive always been, so I feel really good coming into this camp.

Horvat already has a mans body, so thats not an issue either. He said he played at almost 220 pounds last season but is down in the 215-pound range right now. He is also very proficient in the faceoff circle. But the reality is that Henrik Sedin, Nick Bonino, Linden Vey and Brad Richardson are all ahead of him on the depth chart at the centre-ice position. Bonino and Vey were brought in by the new Trevor Linden-Jim Benning regime. Horvat was an acquisition of the old regime. He may not be held in the same regard. Or he may be held in a higher regard.

You have to prove yourself no matter what, Horvat said with a shrug. I dont think I had a spot pencilled in with any management group. You have to come to camp prepared to take someones spot. I know nothing is going to be given to me, I have to work for it.

Horvat wont be the only player heavily scrutinized in Penticton. Jensen, Gaunce, Shinkaruk and Frankie Corrado, in particular, will have all kinds of eyes on them and any performance considered below par will likely raise red flags.

At least Horvat feels he has done everything he can to give himself a chance.

I feel terrific, absolutely, he stated. I am ready to go. I cant wait to get started and play some games."

Good on Bo. Can tell he is trying everything he can to make the team, coming to VanCity early too to train with the best. Hope he can make the roster, would be a huge step forward for this team moving forward.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
IBatch Canucks Hall-of-Famer

IBatch

Posted
Posted

Lets hope he makes the team and this turns out to be a late gift from the old regime, despite the fact Schneider was ranked 6th best goalie by NHL.com today. Nothing would please me more than to see Bo become the teams next Kesler or more - he has the skills and was considered the best pick by Bob Mckenzie that draft year. Good post.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
oldnews Canucks Hall-of-Famer

oldnews

Posted
Posted

Can't see him close to Ryan Kesler, due to his speed issues. Maybe a Ryan O'Reilly at best.

With all due respect to Kesler, Ryan O'Reilly is no second fiddle to Ryan Kesler.

O'Reilly is a 23 year old who is an outstanding all-around player.

Playing 20 minutes a game against very strong competition with less than 50% offensive zone starts he put up 28 goals and 64 points - had some of the best underlying numbers on the Avalanche - was a strong 51.7% in the faceoff circle (and as young center has been well over 50% the last four seasons he has played) - and perhaps most impressive about O'Reilly is the fact that he lead the NHL in takeaways last year (83), had a differential of +50, (and is already a +228 in his young career). He scarcely takes a penalty and is an outstanding penalty killer. That's stiff competition for Kesler at any point of his career let alone as a 23 year old. I'd have absolutely no problem seeing Horvat develop into "maybe a Ryan O'Reilly at best" - might actually take that over a Kesler let alone "close".

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bure to Mogilny Canucks Rookie

Bure to Mogilny

Posted
Posted

Lets hope he makes the team and this turns out to be a late gift from the old regime, despite the fact Schneider was ranked 6th best goalie by NHL.com today. Nothing would please me more than to see Bo become the teams next Kesler or more - he has the skills and was considered the best pick by Bob Mckenzie that draft year. Good post.

+1

I still cant beleave we gave up the 6th best goalie for 9th pick. With a 9th pick any one would be happy to have 6th best goalie ... so why give it up hopeing a guy comes close to that in 5 years or so

Poor bo has sutch big comparisons now.

Btw thought benning said he wasnt gonna have bo for the nucks this year? No?

I hope he can suprise us all and just blow the competition and nich away but could be a dream :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Herberts Vasiljevs Canucks First-Line

Herberts Vasiljevs

Posted
Posted

With all due respect to Kesler, Ryan O'Reilly is no second fiddle to Ryan Kesler.

O'Reilly is a 23 year old who is an outstanding all-around player.

Playing 20 minutes a game against very strong competition with less than 50% offensive zone starts he put up 28 goals and 64 points - had some of the best underlying numbers on the Avalanche - was a strong 51.7% in the faceoff circle (and as young center has been well over 50% the last four seasons he has played) - and perhaps most impressive about O'Reilly is the fact that he lead the NHL in takeaways last year (83), had a differential of +50, (and is already a +228 in his young career). He scarcely takes a penalty and is an outstanding penalty killer. That's stiff competition for Kesler at any point of his career let alone as a 23 year old. I'd have absolutely no problem seeing Horvat develop into "maybe a Ryan O'Reilly at best" - might actually take that over a Kesler let alone "close".

Well said. As soon as Horvat's name was called by Gilman, Ferraro immediately made it clear to everyone that Ryan O'Reilly was his closest comparable.

IMO, I believe that Ryan O'Reilly is the most underrated player in the NHL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
2SKATES1STICK Canucks Regular

2SKATES1STICK

Posted
Posted

One thing I've noticed is that since Horvat is said not to be the most swift or speedy skater, people immediately associate him as being "slow".

Not at all true.

i agree. its just that he's slow compared to most top 10 picks who often rely on their speed as a weapon. Horvat is the player I'd want down low by the net more than anyone with the game on the line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...