Vancouver Seeing Improved Play From Beaverton’s Hurtado

VANCOUVER - Getting shipped off to Europe did Erik Hurtado a world of good.

After falling out of favour with Vancouver early last season, the Whitecaps loaned the forward to a tiny Norwegian club in hopes of getting him game action and, perhaps more importantly, some perspective.

Now back in Major League Soccer, the 25-year-old seems like a new man.

"I needed to change my attitude," Hurtado said after Whitecaps' practice on Wednesday.

The fifth pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, Hurtado scored all six of his MLS goals for Vancouver during the 2014 season, with four coming in one four-game stretch. He started 19 times in the regular season and again in the Whitecaps' 2-1 playoff loss to FC Dallas, scoring the club's goal.

But something was different in 2015. Hurtado made just nine appearances, including a single start, before the Whitecaps decided it was time to send the native of Beaverton, Ore., packing.

The move turned out to be the wake-up called Hurtado needed.