Welcome Matt: Bo Horvat deserves warm welcome from Canucks fans tomorrow
What more could you want in a captain? Understandably, everybody wanted more from the teams Bo Horvat captained here in Vancouver.
But from him alone? Personally?
As we talked about for years on our show, the Bo Horvat we got to know ostensibly cared about hockey, family, and community. That’s it, that’s all.
He wasn’t out for fame. There was no ego play. He took the role seriously and was far too often the only adult in the room. He led horses to water, but couldn’t force them to drink.
He was very much in the vein of Stan Smyl, Trevor Linden, and Henrik Sedin. A player and a person that the Canucks and BC could be proud of.
He took so many bullets after so many losses and always answered the bell. No hiding. Responsibility and accountability were his hallmarks.
Many here chafed at his comments after the trade to the Islanders last season, and that was also understandable. Very jarring to hear Horvat toe the line with controversy. He didn’t often throw shade, and if he was somewhat hurt that the Canucks chose J.T. Miller over him, one can understand that, too.
I do believe him when he clarified that he was more talking about the atmosphere at UBS Arena in a playoff push than what had become of the atmosphere at Rogers Arena.
He wasn’t wrong there, either.
And I also believe that his frustration was with management and not the fans.
Think of the dysfunction above him during his nine-year tenure in Vancouver. Lack of vision, coaching changes, managerial infighting, COVID outbreaks, taps being turned off as soon as the team was showing progress. It’s a lengthy list of crap and through it all, Horvat remained the company man.
Many would’ve have soured sooner and asked out. He didn’t.
So with regards to Bo’s return to Rogers Arena Wednesday night, I sure hope the overwhelming number of those in attendance give him the warm welcome and the tribute he deserves.
Because like Smyl and others before him, he was a martyr for this franchise. And your anger is better directed at those above him.
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