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For Horvat, the stakes are higher. He’s arguably the most important player in Vancouver’s current rebuild structure, a centre who has made massive strides transitioning from fourth-line pivot to the Canucks’ leading scorer.

But that transformation also means the price on a Horvat extension accelerated almost as significantly as his skating improved.

There are lots of reasons to go all-in on Horvat. The sport means nearly everything to him, so he treats the game with a great deal of respect. It translates into a player willing to do anything and everything for his coach, and one who relentlessly pursues improvement.

On the character side of the equation, Horvat checks every box ,which doesn’t mean much if he can’t play. He can, and he may be better than anyone expected.

He’s not there yet defensively, but the 52 points he put up last season is already beyond what many thought his ceiling would be when he was drafted in 2013.

At 22 years old, he has the potential to better that total and sustain it over the next three to five years, which would put his production among some first-liners.

If you believe all of this is possible, then you believe Horvat is worth a six-year extension, which has become increasingly standard for top forwards coming off entry-level deals.

This, however, will be expensive, and not without risk.

The low end of Horvat’s comparables would put him in the $4.5 million a year range. With Sutter’s deal averaging out at $4.375 million a year, it would make no sense for Horvat’s camp to accept less than that. Sutter has one 40-point season in his career, and Horvat already has two.