The team is expected to name its captain in the morning

A big announcement is expected to come down Tuesday from the Vancouver Canucks

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Vancouver’s bench boss is hinting the team could name its captain just one day before opening the regular season opens.

Sounds like the #Canucks may be getting ready to announce a captain tomorrow morning. — Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) September 30, 2019

“There’s a lot to talk about today, so we can talk about that a little more tomorrow if you want,” said Travis Green when asked about a captain on Monday afternoon.

Sportsnet 650 Host Andrew Walker says the choice is really obvious. “There are two questions here: when is the market ready for a captain and when is the player ready for it and Bo Horvat is a guy who has been groomed for a while and it would be a stunner if it was anybody else but Bo. We’ve all known for a while Horvat is that guy and the timing works out — the team, the market is in a good place and the time is definitely now for Horvat.”

Walker isn’t surprised the Canucks have waited this long, adding more and more teams in the NHL are either delaying their captaincy announcement or not naming one at all. “Some people say that is overrated and it could be true but I think having a captain is important in a Canadian market for fan relations, for marketing. Horvat is that guy. He’s the next Mr. Canuck and has been for a while.”

The Canucks aren’t the only team without a captain right now. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Vegas Golden Knights and Detroit Red Wings are among several without one as we inch closer to the season opener.

Recently when asked, Horvat admitted he was ready to take on the role.

“It would be an unbelievable honour to wear the ‘C’ — to wear any letter for that matter,” the 24-year-old centre said. “Even to be in consideration is definitely humbling. But it wouldn’t change who I am and it wouldn’t change the type of player I want to be. I wouldn’t let it affect me that way, but I’d just try to be the best leader I can be.”

Horvat has obviously picked up a thing or two after sitting only a couple of stalls away in the locker room from the Sedin twins.

“Their last three years, it definitely wasn’t easy standing in front of the media and taking the heat, and talking every single day,” Horvat said. “Just watching it, you were like, ‘How did these guys do it?’ I kind of had that responsibility last year, so I got a little bit of practice. I’d be ready to make that next step.”

The Canucks have missed the playoffs for the last last four seasons. The team has made a number of off-season changes and surprised some in Canuck Nation by reducing the roster and waiving Sven Baertschi, Alex Biega and Nikolay Goldobin.

Vancouver opens its regular season on Wednesday night in Edmonton against the Oilers and will play its home-opener on October 9th against the LA Kings.

See the Canucks schedule here.

– With files from The Canadian Press