Brock Boeser didn’t need much time to put Bo Horvat’s latest achievement into words.
“No surprise,” Boeser, 29, chuckled before participating in the Jake Milford golf tournament at Northview. “Such a great guy.
Such a hard-working guy and just a pro. Comes to the rink and wants to get better every day.
I’m super happy for him.”
That reaction says plenty about how Horvat is still viewed by people who knew him in Vancouver, even after the Canucks moved on from their former captain on Jan. 31, 2023. The deal sent Horvat to the Islanders for veteran left-winger Anthony Beauvillier, 25, prospect centre Aatu Räty, 20, and a 2023 protected first-round pick.
And it also invites the familiar what-if conversation.
Horvat had 31 goals in 49 games at the time of the trade, and his body of work in Vancouver made him one of the franchise’s defining players of his era. He played 621 regular-season games for the Canucks and finished with 420 points, including 201 goals and 219 assists. In the playoffs, he added 16 points - 11 goals and five assists - in 23 games, production that reflected his ability to deliver when the games tightened up.
A Rodney, Ont. native and the ninth-overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft, Horvat was shaped by Henrik and Daniel Sedin and eventually became the 14th captain in franchise history. He also hit the 20-goal mark six times and earned a reputation as a steady, lead-by-example presence.
Less than a week after the trade, Horvat signed an eight-year, US$68 million extension with the Islanders, and that decision has looked sharp ever since. Now 31, he has scored 31, 28 and 33 goals over the past three seasons, and his $8.5 million annual average value stands out as one of the league’s best bargains in a cap world where salaries have climbed fast.
For Boeser, the praise came easy. For Vancouver, Horvat’s departure still leaves a clear reminder of what was lost.
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Islanders Have One Leadership Decision Left After Bo Horvats Promotion
Bo Horvats promotion to captain has given the Islanders a more defined hierarchy, but it has also left one opening to sort through as the season approaches. With Horvat becoming the 16th captain in franchise history, the club now has a chance to choose an alternate who can help carry some of the day-to-day leadership load around a roster that is still shaping its identity.
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Islanders Just Sent A Big Message About Bo Horvat
The Islanders have made their latest leadership call around Bo Horvat, a player who arrived in 2023 and quickly became one of the most important figures in the room. Since joining the club, he has been an alternate captain and has set the pace offensively, while bringing the kind of experience that comes from a notable NHL career and time representing Canada on the international stage.
Now the organization is officially putting the weight of the crest on him in a bigger way, a sign of how quickly he has earned trust since landing on Long Island. For a team looking for steadiness and a clear voice, the move says plenty about where Horvat stands within the group, even if the full impact of the decision will play out only as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]