Apr 12, 2022; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Bo Horvat (53) celebrates his goal against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
As per usual, Canucks fans have no shortage of opinions on what that deal should look like. Some want short term, some want long term, and a few even want him traded in hopes of bolstering the defence core.
If the Canucks do, in fact, intend to extend their captain, the following contracts could serve as comparables, giving fans an idea of what to expect.
— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) June 27, 2022
In the summer of 2021, Gabriel Landeskog signed an eight-year, $56 million contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche.
When he signed his contract, Landeskog was at a similar point in his career to where Horvat is now. He was the captain of a promising, young team, but hadn’t had much playoff success.
He was one of the better players on his team, but was overshadowed by a few of his teammates, such as centre Nathan MacKinnon and blueliner Cale Makar.
There was no doubt that Landeskog was an important piece but, were he not willing to sign at the right price, his team would have let him walk in free agency.
There are also a few key differences between Horvat and Landeskog. At that point in his career, Landeskog had tallied points in 74.5% of his games. Horvat currently sits at 63.9% in that regard. If Horvat has a big year in 2022-23, he could close that gap and use Landeskog as a comparable.
Another difference is the overall market at the time. Landeskog signed during a time of uncertainty due to the pandemic. If Horvat waits until the end of the season, the salary cap could rise significantly by the time he signs, meaning he just might be able to get pre-pandemic money if he holds out long enough.
Horvat and Landeskog play similar roles on their teams, and while Landeskog produces offensively a bit more than Horvat does, the overall market could allow Horvat to get Landeskog-type money.
Brayden Schenn: $6.5 million, 8 years
Brayden Schenn adds an empty-netter for the Blues (-117), who even the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-2 WIN in Game 4. OVER 5½ wins with that one, too...#StanleyCup#BOSvsSTL#SportsBetting
In terms of offensive production up until his UFA season, Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues is one of the closest players to Horvat. Horvat currently sits at 170 goals and 366 points, while Schenn had achieved 179 goals and 430 points when he was at Horvat’s stage in his career. Schenn had played 86 more games at that point, but his 65.3% points percentage compares nicely to Horvat’s 63.9%.
Today’s market is still softer than it was when Schenn signed in 2019, but if Horvat waits until the off-season, the market will probably be similar to how it was when the Blues extended Schenn.
The main difference between Horvat and Schenn is that Schenn signed his extension just months after winning the Stanley Cup. He had proven that he could win with that team — something that Horvat is still working on.
At any rate, the two players are comparable in many ways, and $52 million over eight years is not unreasonable for Horvat.
Anders Lee: $7 million, 7 years
Anders Lee of the New York Islanders didn’t play a full season in the NHL until he was 24 years old, so his pre-UFA numbers are a touch lower than those of comparable players. His point percentages, however, are right on par with the other forwards making similar money. He only played 425 games before signing his big ticket, but managed points in 60.7% of those games.
When he signed the contract, he was in a similar position to the one that Horvat is in now: the captain of a promising team, itching for playoff success. Although they couldn’t get past the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Islanders made the Conference Final in each of the next two years following Lee’s signing.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: $5.125 million, 8 years
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has matched Horvat in games played, goals, assists and points every season since 2016-17 (give or take a few each year). If there’s a comparable player to Horvat, it’s RNH.
It’s widely believed that Nugent-Hopkins took a discount to stay with the Edmonton Oilers, the team that drafted him first overall. If Horvat has the desire to do something similar, he could help his team immensely.
While it comes with a low cap hit, Nugent-Hopkins’ contract comes with a no-movement clause and is essentially buyout-proof. If Horvat ends up taking a team-friendly deal, he could always structure his contract in a similar way, guaranteeing that he gets all the money he signed for.
It’s unlikely that Horvat will sign as low as Nugent-Hopkins did, especially with the salary cap going back up. Most people expect him to get a raise from the $5.5 million that he currently makes, but it is likely that Canucks management uses this contract as justification to pay Horvat less.
JT Miller, Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson
JT Miller, Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson. Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports /
While it’s not always the first thing fans think of, players tend to care how their contracts compare to those of their teammates. Perhaps they think of it as a reflection of management’s trust in their abilities.
So, where does Horvat rank among the Canucks’ other top forwards?
Miller signed last week at an $8 million cap hit. Brock Boeser signed at the beginning of the summer for $6.65 million per year. Elias Pettersson currently makes $7.35 million, but will likely get a raise two years from now when his bridge deal runs out.
Based off of point production, it would make sense to see Horvat make less than Miller and Pettersson. Boeser, on the other hand, tends to produce slightly less than Horvat does, although it’s widely believed that his ceiling is higher. Horvat will likely argue that his higher point totals and his leadership role should slot him in above Boeser.
What can Horvat do to maximize his value?
With the thought of extra money lingering in their minds, prospective free agents tend to have excellent seasons just before going to market. It goes without saying that higher offensive production will boost Horvat’s value. But there’s one thing in particular that would make him irreplaceable to the Canucks.
Horvat has to get his defensive game back on track. Early in his career, he was seen as a future Selke candidate as an elite two-way forward. Over the last few years, however, his defensive game has taken a turn for the worst.
In his first few seasons, Horvat was a regular fixture on the Canucks’ penalty kill. During most of Travis Green’s tenure as coach, however, Horvat’s PK time dwindled. Bruce Boudreau put Horvat back on the penalty kill immediately after taking the reins, and he did well in that area.
This was the first season in which Horvat finished with a positive plus/minus rating — and he was only a +3 this year. For someone who plays far more on the powerplay than he does on the penalty kill, that’s concerning.
If Horvat can elevate his defensive this year while maintaining his offensive production, he will be in a prime spot to earn maximum money when he signs his next contract.
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What are your thoughts on these contract comparables for Horvat? Let us know in the comments!
