Bo Horvat is one of the most exciting players on the market. Not only is he an NHL captain, he is scoring at nearly a goal-per-game pace. He is the exact kind of player a team needs to make it through the playoffs, and he is still young enough to sign long-term after his deal expires this season.
Canucks president Jim Rutherford didn't leave any mystery in his intention to trade Horvat:
Canucks president Jim Rutherford alluded to the idea that Horvat's sizzling start means the captain could be the catalyst for core reconstruction: «The better he plays, the better return we can get for him,» Rutherford told Sportsnet 650 earlier this month. There is no shortage of teams interested in a top-flight center, either as a rental or long-term fit: Colorado, Detroit, Boston, and Edmonton, to name a few
Whatever Vancouver acquires in this deal will be foundational for their inevitable rebuild.