Donnie & Dhali: Rich Dhaliwal on the latest involving Bo Horvat and the Vancouver Canucks.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Dhaliwal: “Yeah Donnie, hearing the Canucks made an offer to Bo Horvat recently, it was rejected. The Canucks stretched it to as far as they could go. As of right now, I believe they have gone as far as they can go.
Even the number the Canucks were willing to go to, they would have been over the cap at the end of the season Donnie.
Bo has earned the right to hit the free agent market. The Canucks will now take the best offer for Bo. It was always going to be a tough contract the moment you gave $8 million to J.T. Miller in the summer, it was going to be.
Okay, now, so people are going to ask what was the Canucks offer? Knowing what I know about everything that has gone on in the last few months, I’m going to guess it was under eight. Donnie, guess. I believe Bo and his hot start have put him over eight,
I believe the Canucks, after the Miller contract Donnie, they just, the wiggle room is not, they can’t sign another $8 million player. They just can’t do it.”
Taylor: “Do they feel they made a major mistake by signing J.T. Miller?”
Dhaliwal: “I don’t get that sense. At the time…”
Taylor: “They’re not going to admit it.”
Dhaliwal: “They’re not going to admit it. It was always going to be tough to sign them both, Miller and Horvat, let’s be honest. Call a spade a spade. It was going to be tough because both of them put themselves into the $8 million range. Roope Hintz didn’t help the Canucks, like I said, it has played a factor. The two centers in the St. Louis Blues, Donnie, $8 million each. Those comparable affected the Horvat contract.”
Taylor: “So what do you think the reaction will be if indeed, and it looks like it’s going this way? The Canucks will unload Bo Horvat. They picked J.T. Miller over Bo Horvat. Which some people were already discussing anyway.”
Dhaliwal: “Yeah, they were discussing it.”
Taylor: “What do you think the reaction will be? It will be negative.”
Dhaliwal: “It will be negative. It will be negative for sure but at the end of the day, here’s what you do. If this happens, and if it ends up being a Bo Horvat trade, Donnie, here’s what you do. You take the best offer. My feeling for a Horvat trade is going to be a young centerman, young defenseman preferably on the right side, and a draft pick. If they can do that and get a good haul for this guy, why not?”