Welcome Matt: Canucks failed Bo Horvat, on and off the ice

Bo Horvat didn’t fail the Canucks. The Canucks failed Bo Horvat.

Now the ex-captain gets to try his lot with the New York Islanders, a team that made the NHL’s final four in consecutive years before backsliding out of the playoffs last season and possibly this year as well.

I was a little surprised that Horvat committed to the Islanders as quickly as he did, agreeing to an eight-year, $68 million extension on Sunday afternoon before even playing a game for his new team. Clearly, he had the leverage and he exerted it.

It’s a lot of money, sure, but barring catastrophic injury that money would’ve been there in the summer from a variety of suitors. Perhaps Nazem Kadri’s more muted free agency last year served as a cautionary tale, as he was without a contract until August 18 last summer before inking a seven-year deal with the Calgary Flames.

But we’re one year closer to the cap not being flat, and I would’ve thought Bo more selective after what he’s been through here in Vancouver.

After all, Horvat was not just expected to play centre and serve as captain. He was charged with herding an immature, selfish and emotional group of teammates while serving as a shield for the decision-makers at Canucks Sports and Entertainment.

The business side of the operation doesn’t talk, and the hockey ops side had no better messenger than Horvat.

Through nine years and 644 games, he barely put a foot or word wrong, becoming the voice of reason when seas got rough, and the piñata when reporters were looking for answers.

With the Islanders, he’s found a soulmate in GM Lou Lamoriello — a no-nonsense, old-school, no-video-games-on-the-road hockey man who likes hair short, jaws square and values professionalism and uniformity above all else.

We always knew Bo was an old soul, and now he’s got an 80-year-old boss to report to.

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