Bo Horvat's insulting contract offer from Canucks, revealed

Bo Horvat likely didn't think too long before declining the lowball contract extension offer from the Vancouver Canucks this offseason.

The Vancouver Canucks and Bo Horvat are reportedly at an impasse, failing to come to terms on a contract extension. All signs are pointing toward a mid-season trade for the Canucks' captain, who will have a plethora of suitors at the NHL trade deadline. On Tuesday, Frank Seravalli revealed, via Sportsnet 650, the lowball offer the Canucks sent to Horvat and his camp, and it should come as no surprise that the 27-year-old had no interest in signing an extension.

What was the initial offer from the Canucks to Bo Horvat and where's the gap between the two sides now?@frank_seravalli joined #Canucks Central with @danriccio_ and @BikNizzar to talk about everything surrounding Horvat and more!

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— Sportsnet 650 (@Sportsnet650) December 13, 2022

According to Seravalli, the contract the Canucks put forth was an eight-year deal that would pay Horvat an average of $5.125 million per season. Seravalli described the deal as being the exact same as the one Ryan Nugent-Hopkins signed with the Oilers, which would see Horvat collect $41 million over the course of the deal.

Horvat is in the final year of the six-year contract he signed with the Canucks back in 2017. That deal was worth a total of $33 million and he's been pocketing an AAV of $5.5 million. Somehow, the Canucks expected him to be willing to agree to terms on a long-term deal that would pay him less in terms of an annual salary than he is currently making.

Needless to say, Horvat and his camp were not impressed with Vancouver's offer, thus the most likely avenue appears to be a trade.

Considering the Canucks just doled out a seven-year, $56 million extension to J.T. Miller this offseason, a move not everyone within the fanbase was on board with, Horvat has every right to be disappointed with this lowball approach.

Given his strong start to the 2022-23 NHL season, there should be no shortage of teams looking to add Horvat to their second line on offense. The 27-year-old center has 29 points in his first 28 games this year, including 20 goals. He ranks fourth in hockey in goals scored, trailing only Connor McDavid (25), Jason Robertson (23), and Tage Thompson (21).