Pending UFA Horvat wants to be a 'Canuck for life'

Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat said Monday he's keeping his focus on the ice while entering a contract year this season.

Horvat, who has spent his entire career with Vancouver after being selected ninth overall in 2013, is scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency next July.

"I can't let that that kind of stuff bother me," Horvat said. "I can't always have it hanging over my head. For me, I have to put my head down and be the best leader I can.

"I'm a Vancouver Canuck right now and I'm going to be a Vancouver Canuck for this full year and I'm going to try to do whatever I can help this team win and that's my main focus right now."

The 27-year-old forward carries a cap hit of $5.5 million on the six-year contract he signed with the team as a restricted free agent in 2017. He scored a career-high 31 goals last season and posted 52 points in 70 games as Vancouver missed the playoffs for the sixth time in the past seven seasons.

Horvat, who was named captain of the team in 2019, has 170 goals and 366 points in 572 career games.

"Obviously my career started here, and my wife and I love the city, we love the people, we love the fans and the organization, so you always have that in the back of your mind that you're going to be a Canuck for life," Horvat said. "I want that to happen, and we'll see what happens here but these things do take time and hopefully we can get it done soon."

After signing J.T. Miller to a seven-year, $56 million contract extension earlier this month, the Canucks are currently projected to have $14.6 million in cap space with 14 players under contract for the 2023-24 season, per CapFriendly.

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin discusses the deal that locked up J.T. Miller for the next seven years.