The New York Islanders have acquired center Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forwards Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty, and a lottery-protected 2023 first-round pick. The trade was announced officially by both teams Monday afternoon. Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press notes that Vancouver is retaining 25% of Horvat’s $5.5MM AAV as part of the deal.
New York will retain their 2023 first-round pick if it’s among the top 12 selections, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Assumedly, if the pick does land in the top 12, the Islanders would send Vancouver their 2024 first-round selection.
The trade call ends months of speculation about a Horvat trade, which really began as soon as the Canucks fell flat out of the gate to start the season. With the team’s poor defense and goaltending rendering them entirely out of the playoff picture, Horvat’s status as a pending unrestricted free agent made him a spectacular trade candidate.
Vancouver’s now-former captain had always been perceived as a strong top-six center with good two-way skills and was especially appreciated for his strong marks in the faceoff circle (56.6% over the past two seasons). Horvat’s goal-scoring exploded this season, though, and his 31 goals rank eighth in the NHL.
Those 31 goals and Horvat’s 54 points instantly make him the Islanders’ leader in both categories this season. If utilized on a line with Mathew Barzal, whose main weakness is faceoffs (just 35.9% this season), the Islanders suddenly have one of the most potent playmaking/scoring duos in the league now.
Some may argue, and they’d be valid to do so, that the value in this trade swings the way of the Islanders and general manager Lou Lamoriello. At first glance, the price doesn’t seem quite as astronomically high as previously rumored.
Yet there’s no report of an extension for Horvat, and with Lamoriello’s low success rate of signing unrestricted free agents, there’s no guarantee Horvat is more than a rental. The team’s roster isn’t terribly well set up with Horvat, either. There’s certainly a scenario 18 months from now where the Islanders end up with no Horvat, no top prospect in Raty, and without a high-end pick in the 2024 draft.
With the Islanders still out of a playoff spot and a month before the Trade Deadline, Horvat may not even finish the season on Long Island. If the team fails to gain much ground in the playoff race or in extension talks with Horvat, he could be flipped to a contending team at the deadline if the Islanders can garner a similar (or better) return on the trade market.
While Vancouver won’t be adding to their Connor Bedard odds as the pick is top-12 protected, they still get a second dip from a 2023 first round stocked with talented prospects. Add in Raty, who’s looking much more like the first-round talent he was expected to be after falling to 52nd overall in the 2021 draft, and Vancouver’s future outlook suddenly looks much brighter.
The Canucks also gain a solid top-nine winger in Beauvillier, although his $4.15MM cap hit through 2024 is a tad steep. He’s still a solid bet to net between 30 and 40 points per season and could be solid trade bait for the Canucks at next year’s trade deadline as well. The 25-year-old has nine goals and 20 points in 49 games this year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
He might be on the move again very soon just wait..
Technically LUO traded for his pick back which was his to begin with when he traded for schneider!!
Dayyy-am! I guess we can’t accuse Lou of sitting on his thumbs this year! Now, the question becomes, is Bo a rental, or is he interested in staying there a while?
This only makes sense to me if the Islanders can get Horvat extended. That’s an awful lot to give up for a team that has a realistic chance to miss the playoffs. And even if they do get there, are they really going to be able to beat Boston, Carolina, or Tampa?
I was thinking the opposite. This feels very light.
It’s not so light. From a NYR fan. Raty is NYI top prospect and Beaulivler can easily be better then Connor Garland and VAN got a 1st. All that for a UFA who wanted out which also gives VAN not much leverage. Claude Giroux got a 1st and a prospect last year to put it in perspective.
It isn’t. Raty was a prospective first overall but had a poor draft year and fell. He is a 20 year that has played in the NHL.
2021 he had 10 points in 7 games in WJs.
This could be a lights out deal.
Raty was not a prospective 1st OA. He was well considered a 1st rounder possibly top 10. Not “prospective first overall”.
@thegreatgoodbye he didn’t want out. They priced him out. Listen to his exit interview on sportsnet, he hoped to be a career Canuck.
It’s light *only* if you think that (a) Horvat is now a preeminent superstar, who will (b) resign with the Islanders, and (c) this will ensure that New York has a deep playoff run. But heck, he only had one 30 goal season coming into this year, and that was LAST year. There’s no question that he’ll take his only opportunity for a huge payday with huge term, which someone will likely give to them. And the Islanders are in 10th place in the conference standings right now.
So unless they obtained him to flip him at the deadline (always possible), this doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
I have watched bo for years..he is 2nd line 50 point player.
Seems a little light.. am I wrong?
It’s not so light. From a NYR fan. Raty is NYI top prospect and Beaulivler can easily be better then Connor Garland and VAN got a 1st. All that for a UFA who wanted out which also gives VAN not much leverage. Claude Giroux got a 1st and a prospect last year to put it in perspective.
Beaulivler only showed up when they played the Rangers. Most of the other games he doesn’t go into the corners or the front of the net. He is not a big loss for the Islanders. But if the Islanders don’t sign Horvat, this will be a horrible trade for them.
You also need to remember Giroux has a full NMC that he used to only go to Florida.
@thegreatgoodbye once again, false.
Much less of a haul for Bo than I would have guessed.
Holy Lou!!!!!
They probably could have gotten more . If he could talk to teams about contract. Hope they ask Horvat he said Hell No. lol After the last few months of bruce /me rumors.lol
It looks like we have a buyers’ market this trade season. It was slightly light for someone with Bo’s creds & stats.
So two teams who did pretty much nothing in the off-season trade with each other. Return looks pretty light for the Canucks, though. PIT seems to think Rutherford had lost his fastball; this one makes me inclined to agree…
The only way this deal is “light” is if Horvat signs a reasonable extension with NYI.
Otherwise, Lou just gave up a decent winger, a guy who was rated in the top 10 in his draft until he fell to the 2nd only to show the original ranking was justified and a first for a guy who will either walk for nothing or require a Huberdeau like overpay to keep a guy getting long in the tooth.
Lou must have compromising pictures of Rutherford from his days in Pittsburgh to get him to accept this lowball offer of a package. If the Islanders sign Hovart long term this is a steal of a deal for the Islanders. Wow!
Islanders can have him at 8×8
He’s having a career year
Let’s be realistic. As much as that’s a fair offer for Horvat, he is not signing at 8 million. With the year he’s having he has leverage for a bigger contract. He’ll go into free agency and begin a bidding war. He and his agents know that the cap will be rising so they will demand a lot. His next contract will definitely be an overpay. I would not be surprised if his next contract sees a cap hit somewhere between $9-11 million a season.
This for a 2nd line 50 point a year player?
Took long enough, but Lou finally makes a move of substance. Makes the team better, so I like it.
And then there’s David Poile…..:/
@Gbear—While listening to Kerbs on the Blues side tonight, I just had an idea that we can spring on GMDP. A 1000 of us somewhat disheveled fans show up at Bridgestone, and I tell the assembled group as GMDP pulls up in the Wagon Queen Family Truckster, “On the count of 3, everyone channel your favorite cigar store Indian, Big Chief Redass! You in the back–you’re on the war drums!” It might not get him to do something constructive, but it’ll make us feel a bit better. Then, we can split up and hit some BBQ places for chow. I get first dibs on talking shop with Miss Lindsay (until she makes a beeline for the nearest exit). :)
@Mac – That’s far nicer than what I would greet Poile with. :D
Pretty fair trade but I would give the edge to Vancouver considering they had to trade him. 35 games of Bo Horvat for a 1st rd pick, a young top 9 forward with another year of control and really good prospect is a pretty big haul for a free agent to be.
Interesting move for NYI. It’s a good move unless you are high on Raty and a great move if you are not. Worst case scenario (well, barring an injury to Horvat I guess) is you cant get back into the picture and deal him again at the deadline, retaining more and perhaps even getting more back. The lottery protection, for that reason, is HUGE in this deal.
Nice trade for Isles. Essentially works out to a 4 Mil grab for Horvat. Not bad for a player with his resume. Is Chris Drury taking a nap.
NYR could have easily taken on 4Mil and gave back a better or similar return, and had only 1 hole to fill on RW + Othmann next season.
Normally, I’d assume that a newly acquired star player would get his number over a 4th liner, but…
Not this time.
Casey Cizikis wears #53.
Does Lou make a long time Islander fixture give up his number for the new guy?
Generally an agreement happens between the players. The coach/GM has little say in the matter. Usually something along the lines of a nice watch. If Bo really wants the number he’ll offer something to Casey. If it means nothing to him, he just moves to new digits. If it means something to both and Casey wins, he’ll likely do something nice for Bo.
He has no wingers now. Production may plummet. I’d imagine he’ll sign elsewhere in the summer.
He had wingers in Van?
PP?
Kuzmenko (almost ppg)
Miller (99pts last year)
But other than this year it was Pearson and mayyyybe Boeser during 5 on 5 so….ya guess he really hasn’t