Bo Horvat | #53 | C

[-AJ-]

1 hour ago, S'all Good Man said:

I dunno... I'm tortured on Willie. On the one hand you look at the example of Bo, and how he really has been given opporuntiny and has made the most of it. Baer and Granny too. And Stech. And Tryamkin.  If Willie was a development putz there's no way all of these kids develop this fast and well. But then there's the nightly lineups... maybe I'm making too much of it. 

I'm a little split on Willie too. He clearly seems to know how to develop young guys, but some of his line up decisions make little to no sense. Seems like it may be a case of some strengths and some weaknesses. That or perhaps Willie just knows something that we don't when it comes to coaching a team.

[JM_]

25 minutes ago, ajhockey said:

I'm a little split on Willie too. He clearly seems to know how to develop young guys, but some of his line up decisions make little to no sense. Seems like it may be a case of some strengths and some weaknesses. That or perhaps Willie just knows something that we don't when it comes to coaching a team.

Certainly true in my case  

 

If it were just CDC it would be one thing... but there have been a lot of questions by some pretty reputable folks. Lets see what he does here for the last 10, if we see no tinkering at all I think we'll have our answer. You don't need to be an NHL coach to know there's a chance to try some new things that could carry over to next season. 

[Crabcakes]

2 hours ago, S'all Good Man said:

 

Yah I kind of think Miller is getting the benefit of the system a bit as well as his own play - yes there have been a lot of shots but many of them haven't been dangerous and kept to the outside, but having said that he has stood on his head a few times too. 

 

I dunno... I'm tortured on Willie. On the one hand you look at the example of Bo, and how he really has been given opporuntiny and has made the most of it. Baer and Granny too. And Stech. And Tryamkin.  If Willie was a development putz there's no way all of these kids develop this fast and well. But then there's the nightly lineups... maybe I'm making too much of it. 

 

I really want to see what Willie does once we're mathematically out. I think he has a lot of integrity and will play to win right up to the day there's no point, and then I want to see if he can innovate. If he can e.g., try some new things on the PP, try spitting the twins, release Tryamkin a bit more to get into scoring plays, then I think I can be OK with him starting next season and maybe he can feel like he has more options and not be so rigid on lines  (I think Linden will give him 20 games or so), but if he doesn't try anything new then I don't know.... its hard to turn away from the +'s on development but but 3 years of a crap PP isn't good either. 

 

 

 

Willie has his systems.  He has the team playing a certain way.  But he also has them playing with a certain attitude.  It is clear that most nights they are outmatched talent wise but they can usually hang in there for at least 2 periods.  Some time in the 3rd, the more talented team takes over and wins.  What ever problem people have with Willie, you have to like that attitude.  

 

I think I know how he gets his players to play that way but it'll take some explaining.  Suffice to say, that it is not by giving kids a chance to play when they haven't worked their a$$es off to earn it.  There are no participation ribbons at Willie's sports day.  No trophies handed out at the team dinner that say "I tried"

 

Now Willie has a problem.  His system works but he has to be consistent and cannot waver from it.   Big Jim has traded away some of his favorites and is forcing Willie to play young guys before he wants to.  Injuries further frustrate his method.  Willie had been using guys like Megna rather than get away from his development system.  So, ya, what happens in the final few games could be important.  I just hope that all his good work doesn't get undone.  At least there are still guys around who he doesn't care about like Shore who he can shove into a top line in place of Boucher when he needs to be taught a lesson.

[Vinny in Vancouver]

On 2017-03-22 at 3:42 AM, HorvatToBaertschi said:

Im here because someone on there posted that no single canuck could "hold tkachuks jock strap" or something like that and it got me wondering....

Does this league know who Bo is? 

I wouldn't take it personally. There will always be extreme homers in any fan-base (I personally know that my evaluation of Tanev is probably higher than a lot of other teams' fan bases). Also, don't forget that there a lot of Calgary fans that are pissed off that they got fleeced not once but twice by the Canucks (Baertschi and Granlund).

[JM_]

8 hours ago, Crabcakes said:

 

Now Willie has a problem.  His system works but he has to be consistent and cannot waver from it.   Big Jim has traded away some of his favorites and is forcing Willie to play young guys before he wants to.  Injuries further frustrate his method.  Willie had been using guys like Megna rather than get away from his development system.  So, ya, what happens in the final few games could be important.  I just hope that all his good work doesn't get undone.  At least there are still guys around who he doesn't care about like Shore who he can shove into a top line in place of Boucher when he needs to be taught a lesson.

I don't see how. Bo's progression is the real thing, he needs more more consistency in scoring but I think if he gets to be on an established line most of the year that will help. Personally i'd like to see Baer-Bo-Loui be left to gel next year but we'll see. 

[Wilbur]

Today may have been all about Boucher and Boeser but Horvat jumped into 76th in all time Canuck scoring with his two assists today.

 

75.  Jiri Bubla	D	256	17	101	118
76.  Bo Horvat	C	223	49	65	114
77.  Paul Reinhart	D	131	24	90	114
78.  Mike Walton	C	115	44	69	113

[DownUndaCanuck]

Horvat's making players around him better, not by playmaking/passing, but by playing sound defensively and taking the puck hard to the net. His net-drives have resulted in so many of Baertschi's goals this season and now Boeser gets lucky too. I think having a guy like Bo who clears so much space and takes so much defensive attention really gives guys like Boeser and Baertschi room to work and show off their skill which is a dangerous combination. Playmaker in Baertschi, powerforward in Bo and now a goalscorer in Boeser. That line is going to be our best for a while.

 

We desperately need to give Horvat some help though in the future and that'll come in the form of a nice playmaking top-2 center. Someone like Hirschier or Nolan would be perfect. Vilardi might not have quite the upper-level of skill as the other two but being a year younger and a bit bigger you never know. One of those 3 guys is what this team needs but Hirschier would be perfect. Slot anyone on his wing, ideally 1 powerforward (Virtanen? UFA?) and one skilled guy (Granlund? Goldobin? Dahlen?) and suddenly we've got two very young all-rounded lines that can complement each other and makes it extremely difficult to defend.

[Boudrias]

11 hours ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

Horvat's making players around him better, not by playmaking/passing, but by playing sound defensively and taking the puck hard to the net. His net-drives have resulted in so many of Baertschi's goals this season and now Boeser gets lucky too. I think having a guy like Bo who clears so much space and takes so much defensive attention really gives guys like Boeser and Baertschi room to work and show off their skill which is a dangerous combination. Playmaker in Baertschi, powerforward in Bo and now a goalscorer in Boeser. That line is going to be our best for a while.

 

We desperately need to give Horvat some help though in the future and that'll come in the form of a nice playmaking top-2 center. Someone like Hirschier or Nolan would be perfect. Vilardi might not have quite the upper-level of skill as the other two but being a year younger and a bit bigger you never know. One of those 3 guys is what this team needs but Hirschier would be perfect. Slot anyone on his wing, ideally 1 powerforward (Virtanen? UFA?) and one skilled guy (Granlund? Goldobin? Dahlen?) and suddenly we've got two very young all-rounded lines that can complement each other and makes it extremely difficult to defend.

Totally agree about Horvat driving the play by attacking the net. Now add another +200 pounder in Boeser who will do the same thing. Also agree with you that the #1 need going into the draft will be a 1C. That draft can have Horvat and him fighting for the #1 slot down the road. I like Sutter but my preference is two top centers at + 200 pounds.

[JustABandwagoner]

Man.. Im hoping this kid gets a big juicy contract so he can get married lolololol. Was watching one of the videos and his teammates say he wants to get married xD 

 

Bet hes waiting on dat contract 

[-AJ-]

8 hours ago, DontMessMe said:

Man.. Im hoping this kid gets a big juicy contract so he can get married lolololol. Was watching one of the videos and his teammates say he wants to get married xD 

 

Bet hes waiting on dat contract 

Maybe, but I'd be able to get married on "just" 900k a year too.

[PuckYa]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BO!!!

Where would we be without this kid.

 

 

 

 

[Alflives]

1 hour ago, CoolCanucklehead said:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BO!!!

Where would we be without this kid.

 

 

 

 

best odds of drafting this guy?

 

[PuckYa]

9 hours ago, Alflives said:

best odds of drafting this guy?

 

 

Is Nico the kid we want or Patrick?

What if we pick 3-8, what's your order?

 

Draft Lottery odds

Position	Team	Pts	Odds (est.)
30th	Colorado Avalanche	43	18.0%
29th	Arizona Coyotes	63	12.0%
-	Vegas Golden Knights	-	10.5%
28th	New Jersey Devils	67	10.5%
27th	Vancouver Canucks	69	9.0%
26th	Detroit Red Wings	72	8.0%
25th	Dallas Stars	73	7.0%
24th	Buffalo Sabres	74	6.0%
23rd	Winnipeg Jets	75	5.0%
22nd	Philadelphia Flyers	76	4.0%
21st	Florida Panthers	77	3.0%
20th	Los Angeles Kings	77	2.5%
19th	Carolina Hurricanes	79	2.0%
18th	Tampa Bay Lightning	81	1.5%
17th	New York Islanders	82	1.0%

 

For the last place team, the 30th-place finish still means there's a nearly 50/50 chance they don't draft in the top three. In a class where a clear-cut top three has developed, and the players ranked from 4-8 can all be reasonably argued as the fourth best prospect in the class, those odds aren't nothing.

Edited April 6, 2017 by CoolCanucklehead

[SabreFan1]

I know The Province likes to stir the pot most of the time, but I'm wondering if they are right this time about JB costing the Canucks millions in cap dollars by not signing Bo to an extension before the season started.

 

Quote

BO-FLOTATION: Before the Canucks’ Nov. 23 game in Arizona, Canuck general manager Jim Benning announced a contract extension for defenceman Ben Hutton and his intention to open discussions with centre Bo Horvat. But negotiations never took place because Horvat’s representatives from Don Meehan’s Newport Sports group didn’t want anything to distract their client, who turned 22 here Wednesday.

A restricted free agent on July 1, Horvat merely surpassed Daniel and Henrik Sedin as the Canucks’ best player and will finish the season as the team’s scoring leader. The delay in negotiations until after the season could cost the team millions.

“I don’t think it’s going to cost us more,” Benning insisted today. “They probably have a number they think their player is worth and I don’t think they’d change that number over the course of the year. It may take a while — you don’t know with these things — but I’m confident we’ll get something worked out.”

Horvat is earning $894,000 US this season in the final year of his entry-level contract but could catapult towards an annual salary of $6 million if he agrees to a long-term extension. The Canucks may push for a shorter “bridge” deal.

Opinions?

 

http://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/canucks-notebook-another-megna-in-the-nhl-as-horvat-waits-to-cash-in

Edited April 7, 2017 by SabreFan1

[Gurn]

"But negotiations never took place because Horvat’s representatives from Don Meehan’s Newport Sports group didn’t want anything to distract their client, who turned 22 here Wednesday"

 

Kind of says it wasn't JB's choice to not sign Bo.

[SabreFan1]

3 hours ago, gurn said:

"But negotiations never took place because Horvat’s representatives from Don Meehan’s Newport Sports group didn’t want anything to distract their client, who turned 22 here Wednesday"

 

Kind of says it wasn't JB's choice to not sign Bo.

I don't even believe that even a little bit.  They were most likely betting on Bo having a great season.  Fortunately for Bo and his agents, he did. 

 

If I was the GM, I would have pressed the matter hard in the off-season.  Wave a $3.5 million AAV contract in Bo's direction.  I'd be willing to bet that he would have bitten.  After Montreal, Vancouver is supposed to be the 2nd most desirable Canadian city to play in.  I'd use that leverage to my advantage.

 

I suppose though it's easier said than done.  A saving grace is that Bo will be an RFA and not a UFA so if it comes down to it, JB may choose to offer him a cheaper shorter term contract.  Teams are more reluctant than they used to be to poach other teams RFA's nowadays.

Edited April 7, 2017 by SabreFan1

[WeneedLumme]

2 hours ago, SabreFan1 said:

I suppose though it's easier said than done.  A saving grace is that Bo will be an RFA and not a UFA so if it comes down to it, JB may choose to offer him a cheaper shorter term contract.  Teams are more reluctant than they used to be to poach other teams RFA's nowadays.

Yes, it is absolutely easier said than done. It takes two to tango. And the fact that Bo is an RFA not a UFA isn't a "saving grace", it is a critical element of negotiating leverage that defines the entire shape of the negotiations.

[Spitfire_Spiky]

With our season winding down and team Canada starting to make selections(Scheifele, MacKinnon and Duchene) for the upcoming WHC who thinks Bo gets a call? I hope he does and think he deserves it. If anything it will be a good experience for him like the ASG, it should help elevate his game and help his development.

[Boudrias]

1 hour ago, Spitfire_Spiky said:

With our season winding down and team Canada starting to make selections(Scheifele, MacKinnon and Duchene) for the upcoming WHC who thinks Bo gets a call? I hope he does and think he deserves it. If anything it will be a good experience for him like the ASG, it should help elevate his game and help his development.

Horvat, Boeser, Stecher, Hutton, Tanev and Tryamkin.  

Forgot Dahlen for Sweden. Our CUP!

Edited April 7, 2017 by Boudrias

[Spitfire_Spiky]

43 minutes ago, Boudrias said:

Horvat, Boeser, Stecher, Hutton, Tanev and Tryamkin.  

Forgot Dahlen for Sweden. Our CUP!

I'd be surprise if all of those players got the call. I can see Bo, Tanev and Dahlen getting the call.

Tryamkin might get a call, I honestly don't know enough about the Russian team but I'm sure it will be mostly KHL players as usual.

I doubt both Hutton and Stecher make it, maybe one of the 2 in which case I would say Stecher makes it over Hutton.