Bo Horvat is back - and just in time for the Islanders, who are staring down three critical games before the Olympic break. But while the veteran center has returned to the lineup, the question now is how quickly he can return to form.
Horvat missed 14 games this season across two separate injury stints - the most time he’s spent on the shelf since 2017-18. For a player whose game is built on rhythm, timing, and constant engagement in all three zones, even a short layoff can throw things off. And though his legs are under him and the conditioning looks solid, it’s the finer details - the reads, the faceoffs, the feel - that still need sharpening.
“The legs and conditioning feel pretty good,” Horvat said recently. “It’s more the timing - where to be, when to be there.
Hands, reads, faceoffs. That just takes a little bit of time.
I feel better every game.”
That progression is showing. In his first five games back, Horvat has looked like himself in stretches: strong on the defensive side, winning faceoffs, and already building some chemistry with newcomer Ondrej Palát. He’s also picked up assists in both rivalry wins over the Rangers - always a good sign when a top-line center is helping drive results, even if the goals aren’t pouring in yet.
But there are still moments - a missed lane, a late read - that remind you he’s not quite in full rhythm. That’s not unexpected.
For a player like Horvat, whose game is as much about anticipation and positioning as it is about raw skill, those split-second decisions are everything. And right now, they’re still rounding back into form.
The timing of his return, though, couldn’t be more important. The Islanders have three games left before the Olympic break - all against opponents jockeying for position in a crowded Metropolitan Division.
Every point matters, and these aren’t just tune-ups. They’re playoff-caliber battles in February.
For Horvat, it’s a two-fold opportunity. First, to get his game back to full speed before heading to Milan with Team Canada. Second, and more importantly in the short term, to reestablish himself as the heartbeat of this Islanders team - the guy who can tilt the ice, win key draws, and set the tone on both ends.
“I wanted to get back to help this team,” Horvat said. “Of course the Olympics are in the back of your mind, but the focus is here. These games matter.”
Head coach Patrick Roy has been encouraged by what he’s seen so far, especially Horvat’s steady two-way presence and leadership. The offense is coming back in stages, but the foundation - the effort, the intelligence, the compete - is already there.
And make no mistake, the Islanders felt his absence. Horvat’s ability to control tempo, win battles, and anchor a line is central to how this team wants to play. Now, with the playoff race tightening and the margin for error shrinking, they need him not just back - but back in full.
Three games. That’s all that’s left before the Olympic pause.
For Horvat, it’s a short runway. But for a player who knows how to find his rhythm, it might be just enough.