Changing fortunes for pair of Vancouver Canucks: Weaker case for Jannik Hansen trade, Bo Horvat climbs higher
On Tuesday, one player practised, the other didn’t. On Thursday, the other guy will play and the first one won’t. Wednesday, Jannik Hansen and Bo Horvat will be on the ice together for the Vancouver Canucks.
This may be the case for several more years, although, given the disparity in their ages and how much of their NHL careers remain, connecting Horvat, 21, and Hansen, 30, long-term remains a little tenuous.
The return of these players — Horvat from his first NHL all-star game, in which he fairly dazzled, and Hansen from injury — was big news Tuesday as the Canucks practised ahead what amounts to an extended stretch drive.
Horvat, who was given Tuesday off, will play Thursday against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena, while Hansen, out since Dec. 22 with his second major injury this season, is expected to return to the lineup for Saturday’s home game against the Minnesota Wild.
Jannik Hansen, who was the leading trade candidate when this season began, looks more valuable to the Canucks now that we see where the rebuilding team is going and what it still needs upfront — speed, tenacity, skill and versatility.
Each of these players is more than we thought.
Having already burst through the low offensive ceiling imposed on him when he was drafted 3½ years ago, Horvat’s ability with the puck and comfort level among the best players in the NHL was obvious during all-star weekend in Los Angeles.
And Hansen, who was the leading trade candidate when this season began, looks more valuable to the Canucks now that we see where the rebuilding team is going and what it still needs upfront — speed, tenacity, skill and versatility. Those traits pretty much summarize Hansen’s game.
There are obstacles to the Canucks keeping him, of course, starting with June’s expansion draft to stock the new Las Vegas franchise.
But with the Canucks climbing back into the playoff fight, going 9-3-3 between the Christmas and all-star breaks, and so little coming through the pipeline upfront after University of North Dakota sniper Brock Boeser, the case for gambling away Hansen for draft picks, has weakened.
“I’ve got a lot of hockey left in me,” Hansen said after practising with teammates for the first time since Winnipeg Jet Mathieu Perreault’s late, knee-on-knee hit six weeks ago. “I feel like I’m still trending in the right direction the last couple of years, feeling more comfortable and starting to produce more (offensively) than what I had in the past.
Having already burst through the low offensive ceiling imposed on him when he was drafted 3½ years ago, Bo Horvat’s ability with the puck and comfort level among the best players in the NHL was obvious during all-star weekend in Los Angeles.
“It’s frustrating to have this year shortened so far by injuries to what it has been. But there’s still a third of a season left, which is lots of hockey and enough time to turn this around. And if we squeeze into the playoffs and have a good playoff, then it’s all worth it.”
Squeezing into the playoffs and having a good Stanley Cup tournament are two different things, but the possibility of one does not exist without the other.
After setting a career-high with 22 goals last season playing mostly with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Hansen has been restricted by injuries to just 18 games this year. The Danish winger missed 16 games after sustaining a rib injury when blindsided by Toronto Maple Leaf Morgan Rielly on Nov. 5.
Hansen is encouraged by the Canucks’ surge after Christmas and general manager Jim Benning’s earlier declaration that he won’t approach any player to waive his no-trade clause. Hansen has a modified NTC.
“I don’t have to think about it, worry about it,” Hansen said. “I won’t get asked by you about it. Definitely, what happened last year wasn’t good with Hammer and Vrbie (former Canucks Dan Hamhuis and Radim Vrbata) where every day you come in and you guys are asking them questions.
“Am I going to get traded anyway? I can’t answer that. But at least we’re not going to get those repetitive questions every day. That part helps.”
Related
The question of trading Hansen, even asked aloud less often, will linger. But the only question about Horvat’s future with the Canucks is how high he will climb on their depth chart and what role he’ll occupy as a core player.
His first all-star game — and the skill he displayed — was an affirmation for Horvat.
“I think just being there and being part of it all, it kind of all set in … ‘I do deserve to be here,’ ” he explained Tuesday. “I feel like I’ve worked hard for it. At first, for sure, I had that in the back of my mind: ‘Do I deserve to be here?’ There’s so many great players in the league, and to be there in front of all those people was definitely special and humbling for me.
“I think a lot of people thought I was going to be kind of a defensive guy who just plays defence. It is part of my game, but I also have another element to my game as well.”
Despite power-play ice time that ranks sixth among Canuck forwards, Horvat is tied with Hank Sedin for the team scoring lead at 32 points. His 14 goals in 50 games leads the Canucks.
It seems inconceivable now (actually, it was pretty inconceivable then) that Horvat played the season-opener as coach Willie Desjardins’ fourth-line centre.
Horvat insisted Tuesday that starting in the bottom half of a depth chart was a blessing.
“I think it just pushed me to be better,” he said. “I’m never satisfied with being the third-line centre — nor should anybody (be). I think everybody should push to be better, everybody should push to want more. That was the biggest thing for me — to prove to myself that I could do it, and prove to everybody else that I can do it. I just have to keep pushing.”
On Tuesday, one player practised, the other didn’t. On Thursday, the other guy will play and the first one won’t. Wednesday, Jannik Hansen and Bo Horvat will be on the ice together for the Vancouver Canucks.
This may be the case for several more years, although, given the disparity in their ages and how much of their NHL careers remain, connecting Horvat, 21, and Hansen, 30, long-term remains a little tenuous.
The return of these players — Horvat from his first NHL all-star game, in which he fairly dazzled, and Hansen from injury — was big news Tuesday as the Canucks practised ahead what amounts to an extended stretch drive.
Horvat, who was given Tuesday off, will play Thursday against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena, while Hansen, out since Dec. 22 with his second major injury this season, is expected to return to the lineup for Saturday’s home game against the Minnesota Wild.
Jannik Hansen, who was the leading trade candidate when this season began, looks more valuable to the Canucks now that we see where the rebuilding team is going and what it still needs upfront — speed, tenacity, skill and versatility.
Each of these players is more than we thought.
Having already burst through the low offensive ceiling imposed on him when he was drafted 3½ years ago, Horvat’s ability with the puck and comfort level among the best players in the NHL was obvious during all-star weekend in Los Angeles.
And Hansen, who was the leading trade candidate when this season began, looks more valuable to the Canucks now that we see where the rebuilding team is going and what it still needs upfront — speed, tenacity, skill and versatility. Those traits pretty much summarize Hansen’s game.
There are obstacles to the Canucks keeping him, of course, starting with June’s expansion draft to stock the new Las Vegas franchise.
But with the Canucks climbing back into the playoff fight, going 9-3-3 between the Christmas and all-star breaks, and so little coming through the pipeline upfront after University of North Dakota sniper Brock Boeser, the case for gambling away Hansen for draft picks, has weakened.
“I’ve got a lot of hockey left in me,” Hansen said after practising with teammates for the first time since Winnipeg Jet Mathieu Perreault’s late, knee-on-knee hit six weeks ago. “I feel like I’m still trending in the right direction the last couple of years, feeling more comfortable and starting to produce more (offensively) than what I had in the past.
Having already burst through the low offensive ceiling imposed on him when he was drafted 3½ years ago, Bo Horvat’s ability with the puck and comfort level among the best players in the NHL was obvious during all-star weekend in Los Angeles.
“It’s frustrating to have this year shortened so far by injuries to what it has been. But there’s still a third of a season left, which is lots of hockey and enough time to turn this around. And if we squeeze into the playoffs and have a good playoff, then it’s all worth it.”
Squeezing into the playoffs and having a good Stanley Cup tournament are two different things, but the possibility of one does not exist without the other.
After setting a career-high with 22 goals last season playing mostly with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Hansen has been restricted by injuries to just 18 games this year. The Danish winger missed 16 games after sustaining a rib injury when blindsided by Toronto Maple Leaf Morgan Rielly on Nov. 5.
Hansen is encouraged by the Canucks’ surge after Christmas and general manager Jim Benning’s earlier declaration that he won’t approach any player to waive his no-trade clause. Hansen has a modified NTC.
“I don’t have to think about it, worry about it,” Hansen said. “I won’t get asked by you about it. Definitely, what happened last year wasn’t good with Hammer and Vrbie (former Canucks Dan Hamhuis and Radim Vrbata) where every day you come in and you guys are asking them questions.
“Am I going to get traded anyway? I can’t answer that. But at least we’re not going to get those repetitive questions every day. That part helps.”
Related
- Blues coach Ken Hitchcock takes the fall for disappointing season; replaced by Mike Yeo
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The question of trading Hansen, even asked aloud less often, will linger. But the only question about Horvat’s future with the Canucks is how high he will climb on their depth chart and what role he’ll occupy as a core player.
His first all-star game — and the skill he displayed — was an affirmation for Horvat.
“I think just being there and being part of it all, it kind of all set in … ‘I do deserve to be here,’ ” he explained Tuesday. “I feel like I’ve worked hard for it. At first, for sure, I had that in the back of my mind: ‘Do I deserve to be here?’ There’s so many great players in the league, and to be there in front of all those people was definitely special and humbling for me.
“I think a lot of people thought I was going to be kind of a defensive guy who just plays defence. It is part of my game, but I also have another element to my game as well.”
Despite power-play ice time that ranks sixth among Canuck forwards, Horvat is tied with Hank Sedin for the team scoring lead at 32 points. His 14 goals in 50 games leads the Canucks.
It seems inconceivable now (actually, it was pretty inconceivable then) that Horvat played the season-opener as coach Willie Desjardins’ fourth-line centre.
Horvat insisted Tuesday that starting in the bottom half of a depth chart was a blessing.
“I think it just pushed me to be better,” he said. “I’m never satisfied with being the third-line centre — nor should anybody (be). I think everybody should push to be better, everybody should push to want more. That was the biggest thing for me — to prove to myself that I could do it, and prove to everybody else that I can do it. I just have to keep pushing.”
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