3 options for Canucks to replace Bo Horvat on the power play
The Vancouver Canucks have addressed a number of weak spots this offseason. GM Patrik Allvin added multiple players with penalty-killing experience, strengthened their bottom-six centre depth, and bolstered their defence.
But it remains to be seen what the team will do to replace Bo Horvat on the power play.
The power play was a strength of the Canucks last season, producing a 22.7% success rate, which ranked 11th in the NHL. They were even better in 2021-22 (23.5%), ranking ninth.
Who's going to replace Bo Horvat in the bumper spot on the #Canucks' power play?
Here are the team's power-play goal leaders since the start of the 2019-20 season. pic.twitter.com/emIhvVSKgR
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) September 1, 2023
But their biggest goal-scoring weapon on the man advantage, Horvat, was traded in January.
Horvat excelled in the bumper spot for the Canucks, regularly ripping home one-timers after being teed up by J.T. Miller.
So what are the Canucks going to do? Here are some options for Sergei Gonchar and the rest of the Canucks’ power-play coaching committee.
1. Beau is the new Bo?
The Canucks chose the simplest solution to replacing Horvat immediately after the trade, subbing in newcomer Anthony Beauvillier into Bo’s bumper spot.
Anthony Beauvillier's new threads seem to fit juuuuuuust fine. š
That's two goals in four games for the newest @Canucks forward. š³ pic.twitter.com/okRWMvM2cU
— NHL (@NHL) February 11, 2023
The problem? Beauvillier was not Bo.
While the left-shot winger had initial success in that role, he ran cold late in the season. Beauvillier, who hasn’t scored more than 20 goals in a season since his sophomore year in 2017-18, may not be the sniper the team needs in that spot.
Some players just need a chance, and perhaps the Canucks can give it to him.
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2. Pick one of the Canucks’ right-shot wingers
In order to play the bumper like Horvat, you need a player that shoots left.
But what if they completely change how they do things?
The Canucks could move one of Andrei Kuzmenko, Brock Boeser, or Conor Garland into the bumper. All three of those players are offensively gifted, but they all shoot right.
That would make one-timers more difficult on passes from Miller on the left half wall. But it would give Elias Pettersson more options on the right side.
3. Move Pettersson to the bumper
Pettersson has been a fixture on the right half wall, where he can unleash his wicked slap shot on one-timers.
Except teams are on to Pettersson and have successfully taken away that shot for a while now.
Despite posting the best numbers of his career, Pettersson was relatively quiet on the man advantage last season. His 25 power-play points were the lowest among the top 20 scorers, and no other forwards inside the top 45 in scoring had fewer power-play goals (6) than Pettersson.
Pettersson clearly has the talent and intelligence to succeed on the power play, but perhaps he could be used in a different role.
With quick hands and great vision, not to mention a wicked wrist shot, Pettersson would be a natural for the bumper. Of course, the problem with putting Pettersson in the bumper is that it opens up a hole on the right side. Boeser or Garland could fill that spot, but then it leaves the Canucks without a one-timer option on either side of the ice.