A recent post-game comment by New York Islander forward Bo Horvat is not sitting well with fans of his former team, the Vancouver Canucks.
Horvat, a previous Canucks captain, was traded to the Islanders at the end of January.
Horvat was asked on Saturday how excited he was about the possibility of playing in the playoffs this year and the excitement of the fans.
“Yeah, I mean it’s been unbelievable,” Horvat said. “A lot better than in Vancouver. I can tell you that for free.”
Some have responded by saying the comment was in poor taste.
The marquee at the Vancouver nightclub, The Penthouse, had a message for Horvat on Monday.
Horvat told The Associated Press on Monday that he did not mean any disrespect to Vancouver, his former teammates or the fans.
“It wasn’t directed at them at all. (Islanders) fans were all excited, and I was excited to be in a playoff push and it was just kind of one of those things where my emotions got the best of me, and I was just really happy to be there,” he said.
— with files from The Associated Press