Canucks without two key players for playoff tournament?!

Most NHL players are thrilled and cannot wait to return to action for the teams’ training camps and, eventually, the 24-club playoff tournament. 

However, two Vancouver Canucks key players have to take a pregnant pause. Pun intended. 

Canucks defenseman Jordie Benn and captain Bo Horvat had the perfect timing : they were set to witness the birth of the first child during the summer. But now, they are called to return to play. 

“We definitely thought we nailed the timing. You obviously want to be around for the birth of your kid. You want to be able to hang out for at least a couple of weeks or a month when they’re brand new like that,” said Benn, whose fiancée, Jessica Kohout is due July 24. 

“We thought we planned it perfectly. And then this whole pandemic started.”

Horvat, whose wife, Holly, has a due date of July 19, is in the same predicament. 

“I’ve been thinking about that pretty much every day since there could be a possibility of a return to play. It’s definitely not easy. But I’m not the only one in this kind of situation,” said Horvat, whose wife, Holly, has a due date of July 19. “We haven’t made any decision or talked to anybody about that yet. We’re seeing how this thing plays out. Hopefully I’m going to be there for the birth of my first child.”

There are several NHL players with pregnant partners whose due dates were set for an offseason that’s now the expected restart of their season.

The NHL has confirmed that players can choose to stay home during the pandemic and not report to camp, but it will surely be difficult for Benn and Horvat to make the call. 

They are not the only ones in the league,  Colorado Avalanche defenseman Kevin Connauton and Washington Capitals forward Lars Eller are also facing this tough choice. 

There is no such thing as perfect timing.