Islanders' Bo Horvat is more comfortable returning to Vancouver this year
Bo Horvat of the Islanders on his way to shooting the winner in a shootout against the Penguins on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 at UBS Arena. Credit: Dawn McCormick
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Fewer nerves but still weird. That’s how former Canucks captain Bo Horvat summed up his second return visit to Rogers Arena with the Islanders.
Down the hallway in the Canucks’ dressing room, birthday boy Aatu Raty was anticipating his first game against the Islanders since being included in the Horvat deal on Jan. 30, 2023.
The Islanders brought a season-best four-game point streak (2-0-2) into Thursday night’s match after opening their five-game road trip, the lengthiest of the season, with a 4-3 overtime loss in Edmonton on Tuesday.
“It’s starting to feel like home after a couple of years,” said Raty, who turned 22 on Thursday as he centered the fourth line but has split this season between the NHL and the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. “Being my birthday and playing my old team, this has definitely been marked up on the calendar. But I always find it fun to play teams that you know the players personally and you know their games.”
The deal has benefitted both teams.
The Islanders acquired Horvat during the All-Star break, as he participated in the All-Star Game, for the since-departed Anthony Beauvillier, Raty and a top-12 protected first-round pick in 2023 that was traded again to the Red Wings for top-pair defenseman Filip Hronek.
Horvat promptly signed an eight-year, $68 million extension and has centered the Islanders’ top line since his first game with the team.
Horvat scored a goal in his first game back at Rogers Arena in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Canucks on Nov. 15, 2023.
“It’s weird being on the opposite end of the rink,” Horvat said. “Being back in the city, so many great memories. Playing here, starting my family here. Owned a house here. So many firsts here.
“I don’t have as many nerves as I did last year for so many reasons. Having that experience last year helps. It’s still nerve-wracking.”
During Horvat’s first game back, the Canucks’ fans booed every time he touched the puck, then gave him a rousing standing ovation during a tribute video in the first period.
On Thursday, three fans stood outside the players’ entrance at Rogers Arena in Canucks’ jerseys bearing Horvat’s name and No. 53, his number in Vancouver.
“It’s nice to see they’re still wearing my jerseys out there and they appreciated everything I did,” Horvat. “Sometimes I forget to sign the 53 and I sign 14 [his number with the Islanders].”
Horvat then jokingly apologized to anybody who he had signed the wrong number for.
Beauvillier played just 55 games for the Canucks before bouncing on to Chicago (23 games) and the Predators (15 games) last season before landing with the Penguins this season. Raty, selected 52nd overall in 2021 and who had two goals in 12 games for the Islanders in 2022-23, is still working to establish himself as a full-time NHLer after spending all of last season with Abbotsford.
“I’m still working on some things, skating and trying to be a really complete player,” Raty said. “I think, especially this summer, I made some good jumps with the skating. Last year in the minors, it was good to grow my game and get ready for this season.”
The Finnish-born Raty said he was still trying to adjust to how often it rains in Vancouver.
Notes & quotes: The Islanders recalled undrafted free agent defenseman Travis Mitchell, 24, in his second full season of professional hockey, from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. Mitchell was a healthy scratch against the Canucks. Defensemen Adam Pelech (jaw), Mike Reilly (concussion) and Alexander Romanov (upper body) all remain out, though coach Patrick Roy held out hope Romanov might make it back into the lineup by the end of this trip. “Bridgeport, Vancouver and Seattle and Calgary is quite a ways,” said Roy, listing the next two stops. “We just want to make sure we have a body here because Romy is still day to day. Until that status changes, we feel like we’re more comfortable to have someone here close to us.” The 6-4, 206-pound Mitchell has a goal and two assists in eight games for Bridgeport and has yet to play in the NHL . . . Forward Hudson Fasching remained a healthy scratch.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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