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Bo Horvat says Elias Pettersson would get his vote to take over as Canucks captain

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Photo credit:Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports
David Quadrelli
1 year ago
On the same day that Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet declared that Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes would be getting letters on their jerseys in the wake of captain Bo Horvat’s departure to Long Island, Pettersson got another big vote of confidence.
From Bo Horvat himself.
“He’d get my vote,” said Horvat when asked if Pettersson could be tagged as the next captain of the Canucks, according to Sportsnet’s Randip Janda.
Pettersson has received a few similar votes of confidence since Horvat was dealt, with Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin and Tocchet both expressing their desire to elevate him into the club’s leadership group, with Tocchet saying Pettersson and Hughes will both have letters on their jerseys.
Horvat and Pettersson are currently both down in Florida for All-Star weekend. The two were originally supposed to represent the Canucks together, but as fate would have it, Horvat was traded to the New York Islanders on Monday. He’ll still play alongside Pettersson on the Pacific Division team for Saturday’s 3-on-3 tournament.
“It’s going to be fun, weird, and awesome at the same time,” said Horvat of playing with Pettersson this weekend. “I don’t really know how to approach it or talk about it. I’m excited for it, excited to skate with him at least on the same team for the last time unless we join teams again later down in our careers. Really excited to see him and to chat with him a little bit.”
Pettersson was asked about the Horvat trade, and called their opportunity to play together this weekend “the last ride.”
Earlier today, Rick Tocchet was on Sportsnet 650 and was very open about how important he feels it is to hand the reins of the Canucks’ leadership group over to the likes of Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson.
“If we’re going to set the bar high here in Vancouver with the Canucks, those two guys have to be involved in the leadership group,” said Tocchet. “They have to you know, every day when they come in, they gotta set the standard, and I’m gonna really lean on those guys… Those guys have been in the league three, four years now. They’re premier players in the league, and I think it’s important that they have a voice and they’re part of this leadership group going forward.”
Pettersson and Horvat will be together this weekend but will face off on Thursday, February 9th when the Canucks visit Horvat’s Islanders.

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