Canucks' Horvat ready to grow into larger role
Last season, nobody expected young Bo Horvat to earn a roster spot with the Vancouver Canucks. But Horvat had an impressive camp, and by November, the then-19-year-old earned a spot with the NHL club and never looked back.
Still, that doesn't mean the young center was not impressed at times on the NHL ice.
"I actually surprised myself sometimes, especially when I was making those end-to-end rushes,” Horvat said in a recent interview with the Vancouver Province. "I was like, ‘This is the NHL and I can do that kind of stuff. Don’t be afraid to do it.' To have that confidence going into this year helps."
Horvat will need to be confident as he enters camp with high expectations. At 20 years old, Horvat officially has enough games under his belt to call himself a veteran, and his postseason success (four points in six games) means Canuck fans also expect a lot out of the center.
Horvat could shoulder more on-ice responsibilities this season. He has the potential to challenge Brandon Sutter for a second-line center role if Horvat can prove to be both productive on the offensive side of the ice and responsible in his own zone, especially since Sutter averages between 25 to 30 points per season while Horvat notched 25 points in 68 games during his rookie year.
The young-but-confident Horvat seems to believe his experience last season prepared him well for the next step, as he said he thinks he is ready for a larger role on the ice.
"Whenever [coach Willie Desjardins] did put me in [high pressure] situations, I knew what I had to do, Horvat told the Province. "I knew what to do on the power play. I knew when I was out there to win a big draw. Toward the end of the year, he started gaining that trust in me."
(h/t Vancover Province)
