OTTAWA – It took most of last year for Bo Horvat to earn first-unit power-play duties on the team he led in scoring, and maybe just four games this season to play himself off of it.
Vancouver Canucks coach Travis Green created a Twitter storm – what doesn’t? – Monday when he removed Horvat from what appeared to be Vancouver’s two power-play units during practice for Tuesday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.
With the Canucks on a three-game losing streak and just 2-for-23 this season on the power play, Green remade his forward lines and separated Horvat and regular linemate Sven Baertschi.
Horvat practised on the third line between wingers Sam Gagner and Thomas Vanek, while Baertschi skated with Alex Burmistrov and Brock Boeser. The latter trio appeared to be the second power-play unit behind the one anchored by Daniel and Henrik Sedin.
But Gagner, Horvat and Vanek have been man-advantage regulars and could still see power-play time against the soaring Senators.
“I thought Bo was average the other night,” Green said, referring to a 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday when Horvat managed just two shots on net and was a key part of a dismal power play that went 0-for-7 and allowed a shorthanded goal. “I don’t think he was horrible. I’m not looking for a ‘bounce-back.’ I don’t think he was great the other night and I hope he’s great tomorrow.
“He lost the puck a few times that I don’t think he usually loses. A couple of pucks bounced off his stick. I thought he was average. Talking about it. . . there were a lot of guys that were average. He’s not the only one. We had a lot of players that were just average.”
But Horvat is the one who led the Canucks with 20 goals and 52 points last season, then scored twice in Vancouver’s season-opening win against the Edmonton Oilers. Horvat doesn’t have a point in three games since then.
His power-play role was contentious last season because former coach Willie Desjardins rarely bestowed first-unit duties on his leading scorer.
“When you’re not winning games, you’ve got to be better,” Horvat said Monday. “Guys like me have to step up and perform. I think I can do a little bit more to help this team win. I’ve got to come to play every single night. Obviously, there’s little things I’ve still got to work on. I’ve got to be better next game.”
With shutdown centre Brendan Sutter absent Monday due to illness, the Canucks were expected to recall minor-league centre Michael Chaput as lineup insurance against the Senators. Vancouver starts its five-game road trip without winger Loui Eriksson, who injured his knee on Saturday and is out indefinitely.
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