Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat did his best to sidestep rampant trade speculation Tuesday, releasing a brief statement assuring his commitment to the franchise for the time being.
"I am focused on this season and playing for the Vancouver Canucks, helping the team in any way I can." the statement reads. "I will not have any further comments this year about my future."
Horvat addressed his statement later Tuesday.
"At this point, it's not about me," he said, according to Thomas Drance of The Athletic. I've always wanted to keep this confidential ... I don't want to let this be a distraction ... I feel bad for my teammates having to hear all about this in the media."
It was reported Monday that Horvat and his camp rejected Vancouver's most recent contract extension offer a few weeks ago, forcing the club to shift its focus toward the trade market for the 27-year-old.
Horvat is a pending unrestricted free agent and is expected to earn a significant raise over the $5.5-million cap hit he's had since 2017. This past offseason, the Canucks awarded forward J.T. Miller with a seven-year $56-million extension that will kick in for the 2023-24 campaign, making it difficult for the cap-strapped club to afford a new deal for Horvat as well.
Vancouver drafted Horvat ninth overall in 2013 and named him captain in 2019. The Ontario-born center is in the midst of a career year, ranking fourth in the NHL with 20 goals through 28 games while averaging nearly 21 minutes per night.
The Canucks currently sit sixth in the Pacific Division with a 12-13-3 record.
