The Vancouver Canucks remain in the market for any new weapon to bolster a lineup led by Elias Pettersson. Clear-cut first-line options are scarce across the NHL, but Vancouver will continue to monitor the landscape. Still, if the Canucks were eyeing a potential reunion with Bo Horvat from the New York Islanders, they might be wise to look elsewhere.
One only knows how valuable something is once they let it go. That might be exactly what the Canucks have learned about Horvat. After trading him to the Islanders in 2023, Vancouver could be eyeing the return of the 30-year-old forward.
There’d be several benefits to such a move for the Canucks. On the one hand, they acquire a key contributor who’s already familiar with the city, teammates, and the organization. However, there’s a reason Horvat was traded in the first place. Bringing him back could only restart the cycle for Pettersson and company.
Not coming back
Either way, all the buzz and speculation might be worthless. Horvat’s contract includes a full no-trade clause, which he’d have to waive for any deal to go through. Based on the forward’s latest message to former teammate and Islanders new assistant GM Matt Martin, Horvat has no desire to leave the Island.
Elias Pettersson #40 of the Vancouver Canucks waits for a face off during the first period of their NHL game against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena on November 9, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
“You better not trade me,” Horvat texted Martin, per the Cam and Strick Podcast. While Horvat’s contract includes an NMC, the veteran felt the obligation to make his commitment to the Islanders clear. With that, any speculation about a return to Vancouver can be thrown out the window.
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New day
Perhaps, Horvat’s stark statement is just what Vancouver needs. Actually, what both parties need. It could mark the beginning of a new era for both sides. Horvat is happy at UBS Arena, while Pettersson and company could really benefit from moving on from their recent past.
Rogers Arena in Vancouver has been home to way too much drama in recent NHL seasons, and the time has finally come to start from scratch. Wiping the slate clean won’t be easy, but nothing worth the time ever is.
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Under the guidance of Adam Foote, with the addition of Evander Kane, and Pettersson’s desire to be better on and off the ice, the Canucks might be in for pleasant surprises. For the first time in a while, it seems they can truly make their own luck.
