‘I’ve always wanted to keep this kind of thing confidential’: Bo Horvat explains why he released a statement through the Canucks

Canucks captain Bo Horvat released a statement through the team this morning as trade rumours surround the pending free agent’s future in Vancouver.

The statement reads:

The statement comes just a day after a Rick Dhaliwal report that Horvat had rejected the Canucks’ most recent contract offer, and the club had begun listening to trade offers for their 27-year-old captain. The move to release a statement through the team at all is an extremely interesting one for Horvat, considering the likelihood that it will only increase public interest surrounding his seemingly expiring time as a Canuck.

When asked about it after today’s practice, Horvat explained his reasoning behind releasing the statement.

“At this point it’s not about me. I’ve always wanted to keep this kind of thing confidential right from the beginning of this season. I just wanted to focus on hockey and focus on the team, winning games, and trying to lead this team by example and not let this be a distraction,” Horvat said.

“I feel bad for my teammates having to hear all about about this in the media and I don’t want to be a distraction, so I apologize to them. For me, it’s just focusing on winning hockey games here.”

Horvat’s 20 goals in 28 games leads all Canucks and puts him fourth in the NHL goals race behind only Connor McDavid, Jason Robertson and Tage Thompson. The longest current-tenured Canuck is playing out the final season of a six-year deal worth $5.5 million per year he signed in 2017.