Photo: NHL.com
The New York Islanders announced that they have acquired center Bo Horvat, who can become an unrestricted free agent after this season, from the Vancouver Canucks for left-wing Anthony Beauvillier, center Aatu Raty, and a 2024 first-round pick (which is top-12 protected).
Horvat: No extension talks with @NYIslanders yet. “We’ll see if we can something done, but I’ll leave it up to Pat [Morris] to handle that.”
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) January 31, 2023
Horvat, 27, ranks eighth in the NHL with 31 goals and is tied for 21st with 54 points in 49 games. His goal total is tied with his career-high set in 70 games last season while Horvat, who counts just $5.5 million against the NHL salary cap, is just seven points behind his career-best point total set in 82 games during the 2018-19 campaign. Vancouver retained $1.375 million of Horvat’s remaining contract.
Bo Horvat, traded to NYI, is a top six scoring centre with a great finishing touch between the hashmarks. Generally strong in most areas of the game, although this has obviously been a huge outlier finishing season for him. #Isles pic.twitter.com/bNosCfekl0
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) January 30, 2023
New York finally gets the goal scorer they need as they rank 28th in the NHL with an average of 2.77 goals-per-game and 24th with a 17.7% power-play scoring rate since captain John Tavares left after the 2017-18 season. The team is currently 25th (2.85) and 31st (15.5%) in those respective categories this season.
The addition should help improve the penalty kill, where New York already ranks third (83%), as Horvat has averaged 1:45 (fifth among Vancouver forwards) shorthanded this season.
However, this deal carries risk for New York. If Horvat leaves in July and the team, who is currently two points back of a Stanley Cup Playoff spot with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres (who they are trying to pass in the wild-card race) both having games in hand, fails to qualify for the postseason, this deal could backfire.
Trade rumors swirled around Beauvillier, who has just nine goals and 20 points in 49 games, since the offseason. The 25-year-old has seen his production decline over the past two seasons.
Anthony Beauvillier, acquired by VAN, is a middle-six shoot-first offensive winger whose stock has fallen along with his finishing in the past two seasons. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/3ggfvN36WF
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) January 30, 2023
Raty, the 52nd overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, has two goals in 12 NHL games this season and seven goals and 15 points in 27 AHL contests.
Vancouver, who is currently 14 points out of a postseason spot at 20-26-3 (.439 points percentage), is expected to be a major seller ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline at 3 PM ET on March 3.
Needless to say, this trade caught NHL All-Star Game organizers a little off-guard. They’re not quite sure yet how to handle Pacific Division center-now-New York Islander Bo Horvat in the context of the event.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) January 30, 2023
By Harrison Brown
Not a bad move for Isles, IF they can re-sign him.
Good for Isles, wow!
Risky for NYI. They’re currently in 10th, so if they don’t make the playoffs they might end up giving up a great pick in 2024. For a rental who might not even resign. Ballsy.
Very true but if they can resign him, he’s a real nice two way center for their top six playoffs or no. Their roster is locked in with so many long term deals though. Well the Isles fans are always joking ‘wake up Lou’! Well, he’s definitely awake now🙂
This trade smells of desperation. He is 27 and having a career year. They keep trading away their 1st round picks and now their top prospect. Brock Boeser would have made more sense. The reason being is the Islanders need top 6 wingers. They already have 4 center man on the roster. Where do you slide Horvat now and if he does resign it will be for 8 years for at least 8mil. Not to mention Barzals new contract kicks in next year at 9mil. Caps fans always talk about getting younger and rebuilding well this team has stayed competitive for the last 10 plus years because they constantly have a 1st round pick and not shipping out top prospects. The Islanders have now traded away their last 4 1st round picks and have a terrible terrible prospect pool. If they don’t win a cup this year and Horvat walks which I think he will test Free Agency and most likely will walk then this trade is horrendous short term and long term for that organization.
Yes, this could go bad for them but if they continue to be bad even with Horvat added, they could still flip him at this deadline. Though I don’t know what Lou could get for him as teams will know he’s put himself in a corner.
Why couldn’t Caps make the same deal for Mantha?
Honestly I want Mantha traded also but who wants him? Why would anyone take Mantha and give the Caps something in return that is worth something? At this point the Caps are not in a position to give up useful assets like younger players and picks as they need both next year with 13 UFA/RFA after this season. Islanders made a good move especially if they can resign him but if they dont still a good move for them as they are looking to go deep in the playoffs and can with the right people and chemistry. The Caps are just not a threat to go deep in the playoffs no matter what they do or who they trade for.
Compare Mantha and Horvat production. It’s not even close and BH is a center which is a top value position.
I’m not comparing Mantha to Horvat, I’m comparing him to Bevelier.
I think he was sent to even out the monies, plus give the Isles a chance to sign him next year with that freed up salary.
Let’s be honest,this “trade” is one thing,trying to tank to make Conner Bedard first overall!! Even on horrible team you don’t trade top scorer. Getting rid of coach that generally is good at turning bad teams around was first step this is second.
Good point. Bedard is a Nucks fan too. Seems like a perfect fit.
Why wouldn’t you trade your top scorers if he won’t resign?
Cmon’ Mac! Get me a d-man!
This team needs so much more than just a D-man. It is nowhere a true Cup contender but instead a shell of what it used to be 5 years ago and truly a team that should be sellers rather than buyers at the trade deadline. Having said that you watch GMBM will make a trade and lose draft capital and young assets in making that trade to still go out in the first round. IF you are happy with that then I feel sorry for you as a fan of the team. This team needs so much more than just a D-man; like getting rid of Mantha, Eller and Oshie and Orlov rather than loosing him for nothing after the season because the Caps cant afford to pay him. This team will be getting younger next season as with 13 UFA/RFA they cannot sign them all.