The Vancouver Canucks are focusing on the trade market for forward Bo Horvat after their latest contract offer was rejected a couple of weeks ago, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

The Canucks captain is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Horvat is in the midst of a career year. He ranks fourth in the NHL with 20 goals through 28 games and is playing a career-high 20:53 per night. Horvat has been dominant at the dot as well, leading the NHL in faceoffs taken and winning 57.7% of his draws.

The 27-year-old has played his entire 600-game NHL career with Vancouver. He was named captain ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.

Horvat's $5.5-million cap hit is manageable for contending teams that could be in the market for center depth ahead of the March 3 trade deadline.

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Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron has entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and will be unavailable indefinitely, the league announced Sunday.

McCarron will continue to be paid during his absence and will return to the Predators once cleared by program administrators for on-ice competition.

He has played 15 games for Nashville this season, tallying one goal and two points. McCarron appeared in the Predators' 5-2 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday but didn't play Saturday against the Ottawa Senators.

The 27-year-old played a career-high 51 contests in 2021-22 with Nashville, scoring seven goals and 14 points.

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