New report: Bo Horvat's contract with Canucks likely 6+ years long

It might be a long term deal after all.

Canucks fans are on pins and needles, still waiting for the completion of Bo Horvat’s new contract.

With training camp kicking off next week, time is of the essence for the only unsigned restricted free agent remaining on the team.

A report last week stated that the deal was already done, with an announcement expected to come this week. But we’re still waiting.

A pair of reports agreed that the contract would be a short-term bridge deal (ie. 2-3 years), which made sense given the two sides haven’t been able to come to an agreement all summer.

But not so fast. The most reliable hockey insider in the world weighed in on Wednesday with a new, conflicting report.

My expectation is Horvat's new deal is likely to have a term north of 5 years (6 or 7?) and an AAV north of $5M (but not $6M).

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) September 6, 2017

When the Bobfather speaks, the hockey world listens.

This deal might be more to Canucks fans’ liking. Horvat is a good bet to become the team’s next captain when Henrik Sedin retires, and is going to be a good player for many years to come. As the team’s leading scorer last season, it makes sense to lock up the 22-year-old centre long term.

Not at any cost, mind you.

Horvat led the Canucks with 52 points in 2016-17, but league-wide, he tied for 83rd in scoring. So he’s not at an elite level offensively yet, despite his immense upside.

Bob McKenzie reports that the deal is likely to be worth more than $5 million per season. If it’s close to $5 million, that’s a number that makes sense. If it begins to approach $6 million, that’s probably overpaying for a player that still has a lot to prove.

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