Islanders Gear Up for West Coast Road Trip
LAS VEGAS — The Islanders are heading west on Thursday, ready to continue their seven-game road trip in Las Vegas.
Coach Bo Horvat aims to build on his recent success after scoring two goals in the Islanders’ 5-0 win against the Rangers last Saturday and adding another goal along with an assist in the 3-2 overtime victory over the Devils on Monday.
Though it’s still early in the season, there’s a buzz surrounding the 30-year-old center, acquired from Vancouver at the trade deadline in 2023, after he signed an eight-year, $68 million extension that runs through the 2030-31 season.
Recently, Horvat has emerged as a scoring leader with 12 goals, tying him for second in the NHL.
The Canadiens’ Cole Caufield matches this tally, while Nathan MacKinnon of the Avalanche sits ahead in the rankings.
Horvat’s standout ability this season has been his aim. One notable goal at the Prudential Center involved him taking a pass from Kyle Palmieri and seamlessly sliding between the circles to score past Jacob Markstrom with a perfect shot into the top corner.
His teammates certainly can’t claim to be left speechless by him.
“I think he might be the best shooter in the world right now,” said Matt Barzal, who netted the game-winning goal in overtime against the Devils. “It’s not just luck—his shot is world-class. Whenever he’s around the net, you feel he has a chance to score. I had a few opportunities too, but he makes it look so easy with his incredible shot.”
Jonathan Drouin, who plays on the second line with Barzal and Simon Holmstrom, joins Horvat on the first power-play unit. Drouin knows the importance of giving the puck to a sniper like Horvat.
“It’s kind of a running gag,” Drouin noted. “Every time he shoots, you feel like it might go in. We just need to keep getting him the puck.”
Horvat’s best goal-scoring season to date was 38 goals in 2022-23, a number he achieved by scoring 31 goals with the Canucks and 7 with the Islanders. In the last two full seasons on Long Island, he had 33 and 28 goals respectively.
If current trends continue, he looks poised to possibly score 62 goals this season, although those figures are fluid.
Only one player in the franchise’s history has scored more than that—Hall of Famer Mike Bossie. Bossie accumulated 69 goals during the 1978-79 season and reached totals of 68 and 64 in the following two seasons. Remarkably, Bossie holds nine of the top 11 single-season totals for the team, with only Pierre Turgeon (58 goals in 1992-93) and Pat LaFontaine (54 in 1989-90) breaking the trend.
Horvat’s style differs significantly from Bossy’s. Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 225 pounds, Horvat is more of a playmaker who shoots left-handed, while Bossy was a slender 6-foot and 186 pounds with a notorious slap shot, winning hearts with his flair and skill throughout his decade-long NHL career.
While Bossy was known for his signature slap shots, Horvat’s 12 goals have predominantly come from wrist and snap shots, which aren’t as prevalent in today’s NHL.
Sure, it will take a lot more games and goals for Horvat to reach the heights of an all-time great, but as his teammates would likely affirm, “He’s got a good shot.”
The Islanders will practice in Las Vegas on Wednesday before facing off against the Golden Knights on Thursday, followed by a game against Mammoth in Salt Lake City on Friday. Next week, they’ll be visiting Colorado, Dallas, and Detroit.
“When I look at the schedule, it’s like, ‘Wow, this is it,’” said Isles coach Patrick Roy, acknowledging the challenges ahead. “We’ll take it one game at a time. Las Vegas is going to be a tough test. We need to be ready.”
