Bo Horvat insists Canucks' poor start is not due to losing teammates

With the Vancouver Canucks losing their last five games and sporting a record of 6-10-0, there has been plenty of talk that players have low morale after losing so many of their teammates during the offseason. Goalie Jacob Markstrom and defensemen Chris Tanev went to the Calgary Flames, blueliner Troy Stecher signed with the Detroit Red Wings, and forward Tyler Toffoli inked a deal with the Montreal Canadiens. However, team captain Bo Horvat insists that is not the case.

"I don't believe that," said Horvat. "Obviously it is tough to see guys go, but at the same time you've got to move on and play for the team you are playing for. You can't dwell on anything, and we have a great group of guys here and a lot of good hockey players and because we lost guys doesn't mean we are trying to play bad.

"We all want to win here, and we all want to do well, so I don't think that's a theory at all."

The talk of members of Vancouver being upset over losing teammates ramped up after a 3-1 loss to Toronto Monday when Quinn Hughes told reporters "we lost some pretty good players last year, so we're trying to figure it out together."

"I can shut that down," Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko said. "I don't think anyone is holding that against management or coaches. Guys know that the business side of things is going to happen sometimes and guys are going to leave, get traded, sign somewhere else, what have you, and guys are well aware of that and they know you've got to move on and focus on the task at hand."

Horvat said Hughes was very good friends with one of the players that left, which likely makes the situation harder on him.

"For Quinn, he was really tight with Tanny (Chris Tanev) off the ice and stuff, so I can see why that one hit a little bit harder," Horvat said. "But the guys that we brought in and the guys in this room are great hockey players, and it takes a little time with new guys in a regular year, and we have to remember this is not a regular year. It's going to take some time."

Horvat also denied that not having an extension in place for head coach Travis Green, whose contract expires at the end of this season, is having any impact on the group's play.

That makes no difference to us," Horvat said. "We all really like 'Greener' as a coach, and he's done a heck of a job with our group. Obviously we'd love to see him stay and be a part of the Vancouver Canucks, but at the same time [we] have to worry about winning hockey games."

Source: NHL.com

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