Canucks pregame: Bo Horvat talks facing old team for the first time since trade to Islanders

Well that didn’t take long, did it?

It feels like yesterday that the Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders pulled off a blockbuster trade that sent the Canucks’ captain to Long Island. That trade took place last Monday, but because of the All-Star break, this is just Horvat’s third game with the Islanders, and marks the Canucks’ third without their captain as well.

Emotions are sure to be high as Horvat, who spent nine years with the Canucks, faces off against them for the first time since signing an eight-year extension to make Long Island his new home following the trade.

“It’s definitely going to feel weird skating on the opposite side,” said Horvat. “A lot of those guys, I’ve grown up playing with. I’m looking forward to it though. The building’s gonna be loud and rocking tonight, and hopefully we can get a win.”

 

Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy asked Horvat which of his former teammates will give him the hardest time tonight.

“Probably Millsy,” said Horvat with a laugh. “Milly and Garly, probably. If Schenner’s in the lineup I’m sure he’ll give me a few good licks out there. We’re gonna have a couple battles down low but like I said, it’s going to be a fun game tonight.”

Horvat added that he’s happy to get his first meeting against his former team out of the way early, and that he’s glad it’s a home game, as returning to Rogers Arena and to Vancouver may have been “too soon” for him.

As for the Canucks, they didn’t hold a morning skate today, so we don’t have any line rushes to report on. Regardless, it will be extremely interesting to see how Rick Tocchet lines up his team tonight. Tocchet was displeased with five players last night, and was open about that in his post game media availability.

“We had four or five guys that weren’t good,” said Tocchet. “I’ve played the game, I’ve been bad myself. But if you’re bad and you don’t have it, you got to make sure that you get the puck in deep or you’re good in position. You can’t be bad at every area and I thought we had five guys that weren’t good.”

Tocchet was asked specifically about Andrei Kuzmenko being one of those five players that wasn’t good.

“Yeah, he wasn’t good today,” said Tocchet of Kuzmenko during the postgame media availability. “He was spinning everywhere. I mean, it’s just not him. But he’s a young kid.”

Tocchet was also asked about his players facing off against their former teammate and leader tonight, and had this to say.

“Initially it’s a kind of a jolt but then you move on, that’s the history of the NHL,” said Tocchet in the Wednesday morinig media availability. “I think guys understand, Bo [was] the big fish here and time passes. He’s an Islander now so you move on from it. I think guys are pretty good to know that this is a business and you need to move on.”

Puck drop is at 4:30 PM Pacific Time tonight from UBS Arena in Long Island.