Islanders' Bo Horvat on his return to Vancouver months after trade: 'It's weird'
Bo Horvat of the Islanders skates during the third period against the Hurricanes at UBS Arena on Saturday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — It was predictably weird.
Former Canucks captain Bo Horvat walked into Rogers Arena as the opposition for the first time on Wednesday as the slumping Islanders continued their four-game road trip. Anthony Beauvillier, part of the deal that brought Horvat to the Islanders on Jan. 30 after no new contract was forthcoming in Vancouver, knows the feeling.
“It’s still weird a little bit,” Beauvillier said. “Knowing all these guys on the other side. It’s always fun playing against your friends. Only good memories from the last time we played them.”
Beauvillier made his first return to UBS Arena on Feb. 9, just three games after the trade, and scored the winning goal in the Canucks’ 6-5 victory, negating Horvat’s goal and an assist.
“Way different,” Horvat said of facing the Canucks in Vancouver rather than on home ice. “That was a weird game, especially right after the trade. But being back in the city and this rink, it is a lot more different. They have a different team over there, too.”
Horvat spent much of his time off the ice at Rogers Arena greeting old acquaintances. Before the Islanders started their morning skate, Horvat seemed reflective on the bench just staring out at the ice.
“It’s weird,” Horvat said. “I’m not going to lie, it’s really weird. Just walking around yesterday just brought back a lot of memories. A lot of good memories, a lot of bad memories, sometimes. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows here. But seeing the rink brought back a lot of memories. A lot of emotions tonight.”
Horvat spent eight-plus seasons with Canucks, who drafted him ninth overall in 2013. But once the Canucks re-signed J.T. Miller to a seven-year, $56 million deal, there was no salary-cap space to work out a new deal with Horvat, even though he had hoped to be a “Canuck for life,” and felt management would make that happen.
Still stung more than two months after the trade, Horvat responded to a question about the atmosphere at UBS Arena by saying, “It’s a lot better than Vancouver, I can tell you that for free.”
Horvat’s departure was just part of some seismic changes for the Canucks. Jim Rutherford was hired as president more than a month before Horvat was traded and Rick Tocchet replaced Bruce Boudreau as coach.
The Canucks have prospered and entered Wednesday having won nine of 11.
The trade yielded Beauvillier, playing on the Canucks’ fourth line and second power play unit, Aatu Raty, currently in the AHL, and a first-round pick that was dealt to the Red Wings as part of a package for defenseman Filip Hronek, who entered Wednesday with a 10-game point streak.
The Canucks have even reassigned Horvat’s No. 53 to fourth-line center Teddy Blueger.
“I think a lot of stuff is happening here,” Beauvillier said. “New coaches and a lot going on. A few trades. I think [Horvat’s departure] went a little under the radar, from my perspective at least, with all the changes that was happening and everyone trying to buy into the new system and buy into the new culture.
“He was well liked here and everyone still has a ton of respect for him. You can feel that.”
Homecoming or not, the Islanders were looking to snap an 0-1-4 skid against the Canucks after the trip opened with Monday’s 4-1 loss in Edmonton.
“Certainly, it’s always a strange feeling to come back to somewhere where you’ve played for so long,” coach Lane Lambert said before the match. “An interesting game for him. I think the guys will rally around that.”
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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