Brock Boeser didn’t need much time to put Bo Horvat’s latest achievement into words.
“No surprise,” Boeser, 29, chuckled before participating in the Jake Milford golf tournament at Northview. “Such a great guy.
Such a hard-working guy and just a pro. Comes to the rink and wants to get better every day.
I’m super happy for him.”
That reaction says plenty about how Horvat is still viewed by people who knew him in Vancouver, even after the Canucks moved on from their former captain on Jan. 31, 2023. The deal sent Horvat to the Islanders for veteran left-winger Anthony Beauvillier, 25, prospect centre Aatu Räty, 20, and a 2023 protected first-round pick.
And it also invites the familiar what-if conversation.
Horvat had 31 goals in 49 games at the time of the trade, and his body of work in Vancouver made him one of the franchise’s defining players of his era. He played 621 regular-season games for the Canucks and finished with 420 points, including 201 goals and 219 assists. In the playoffs, he added 16 points - 11 goals and five assists - in 23 games, production that reflected his ability to deliver when the games tightened up.
A Rodney, Ont. native and the ninth-overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft, Horvat was shaped by Henrik and Daniel Sedin and eventually became the 14th captain in franchise history. He also hit the 20-goal mark six times and earned a reputation as a steady, lead-by-example presence.
Less than a week after the trade, Horvat signed an eight-year, US$68 million extension with the Islanders, and that decision has looked sharp ever since. Now 31, he has scored 31, 28 and 33 goals over the past three seasons, and his $8.5 million annual average value stands out as one of the league’s best bargains in a cap world where salaries have climbed fast.
For Boeser, the praise came easy. For Vancouver, Horvat’s departure still leaves a clear reminder of what was lost.
In Other News...
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For Canucks fans, the part that should stand out quickly is how intent Gallagher sounds about fitting in and helping the group move forward. He is not arriving as a passenger on the rebuild, but as someone who wants to integrate with the room and add something meaningful to the teams day-to-day growth. The broader question is how much that veteran presence can shape a young roster still defining itself, and that is exactly the kind of detail Vancouver will be watching closely as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Fans Just Got A Familiar New Postgame Voice
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Rink Wide Vancouver will continue rotating other co-hosts for the games Dodd does not cover, but the addition should give the show a steadier presence as the season unfolds. The program will be available both as a livestream and a podcast, which should make it easy for Canucks fans to tune in no matter how they follow the teams latest results. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Suddenly Face A Bigger Thatcher Demko Question At Camp
Thatcher Demkos return to the Canucks crease is already shaping up to be a longer process than the club had hoped. General manager Ryan Johnson said the goaltender will not be fully participating in training camp this week as he continues recovering from hip surgery, though Demko is still skating and working out on his own in Penticton rather than joining the main training groups.
For Vancouver, the update keeps the focus on patience as much as on performance. Johnson stressed that the organization is trying to support Demko through the rehab process and pointed to his determination to get back as part of the teams future, but for now the Canucks are left managing camp without one of their most important players fully in the mix. [Read more 🡒]