Islanders find dynamic duo in unlikely combo

The New York Islanders have seemingly found a new dynamic duo in Bo Horvat and Emil Heineman this season.

Heineman, as you may recall, was somewhat of a throw-in in the Noah Dobson trade with the Montreal Canadiens. The Isles viewed the two first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft as the meat and potatoes of the return.

But there was a reason why GM Mathieu Darch insisted on Heineman being part of the return. Now, we can see why.

Heineman, who was originally a second-round pick of the Florida Panthers in the 2020 NHL Draft, has actually bounced around a bit. Heineman went from Florida to Calgary in the Sam Bennett trade back in 2021.

After a short stint with the Flames, Heineman was on the way out. He landed in Montreal as part of the trade that sent Tyler Toffoli to Alberta.

Despite the shot the Canadiens gave Heineman, he never really caught on. That made him relatively expendable. Well, what a difference a change of scenery can make. The Islanders were willing to give Heineman a shot from the get-go. But no one really thought he would shoot up the team’s depth chart.

Ever since getting a shot to play with Horvat, Heineman looks like he’s unlocked the potential that made him a once-coveted prospect. The 23-year-old now has five goals and two assists for seven points in 11 games this season. That’s a fantastic stat line to start the season.

But beyond the raw numbers, Heineman has been a crucial part of the Islanders this season.

Horvat, Heineman lead Islanders to win over Capitals

A good example of Heineman’s crucial role this season came on Friday night. With the game tied at one against the Capitals, Heineman capitalized on a horrible turnover by the Caps, leading to a rush chance that ended with Horvat scoring the game-winner.

Here’s a look:

The play started with Capitals forward Hendrix Lapierre turning the puck over in the Isles’ zone. Heineman quickly picked up the puck and led a rush chance with Horvat streaking up the left side.

The replay showed a sliding Capitals defender looking to take the pass away. Heineman waited out the play and slid the puck over to Horvat, who tapped the puck in for the goal.

Heineman’s vision and patience were the difference on the play. He looked like an All-Star playmaker on that rush.

All told, the Horvat-Heineman combo promises to yield plenty of offense for the Islanders this season. The hope is that Heineman can finally blossom into the player the Isles envisioned when they got him from the Canadiens this past summer.