Amid reports he could be on the move, Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat issued a statement through the team Tuesday saying he's "focused on this season and playing for the Vancouver Canucks, helping the team in any way I can."
Horvat added he would not comment further on his future for the rest of the year.
The 27-year-old did however speak with the Vancouver media shortly after the Canucks released his statement.
"At this point it’s not about me. I’ve always wanted to keep this confidential… I don’t want to let this be a distraction," he said of his statement. "I feel bad for my teammates having to hear all about this in the media."
"It could be (a distraction) or it couldn’t be. It depends on the person. I think Bo is going to play as hard as he can," head coach Bruce Boudreau said.
Horvat, who's having a strong season with 20 goals in 28 games, is a pending unrestricted free agent.
In last week's 32 Thoughts column, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported "it's not trending well" for an extension between Horvat and the Canucks.
Further, Rick Dhaliwal said on Donnie and Dhali Monday that Horvat recently rejected a Canucks offer.
"The Canucks stretched it as far as they can go," he said. "Even the number the Canucks were willing to go to, they would have been over the cap at the end of the season. Bo has earned the right to hit the free agent market, the Canucks will now take the best offer for Bo."
The Canucks are currently sixth in the Pacific Division, and four points out of a playoff spot with a 12-13-3 record and 27 points.
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