Islanders get it right by naming Bo Horvat as team captain

The New York Islanders ended speculation on Monday by naming Bo Horvat as the team’s 16th captain.

While there were other worthy contenders, the fact is that Horvat was the no-brainer choice for the team.

There were cases for clear leaders like Mathew Barzal, Ryan Pulock, or Kyle Palmieri, the bottom like is that Horvat was the right call.

In his three-plus seasons in Long Island, Horvat has proven to be a leader well beyond the scoresheet. Yes, the 31-year-old matched a career-high 31 goals last season in just 68 games. But it’s been his overall leadership that has transformed the Islanders’ fortunes.

Horvat has stepped into a major leadership role at a juncture in which the Isles could have descended into a full-on rebuild. Instead, the former Vancouver Canucks captain anchored the organization, helping the team get back to respectability.

Of course, the team has been out of the playoff race the last couple of seasons. But that’s not a reflection on Horvat. The truth is that, if it hadn’t been for Horvat, who knows where the team would have been the last two seasons.

Bo Horvat in perfect spot to take over from Anders Lee

Anders Lee took over the captaincy following the turbulent exit of John Tavares. Lee did a great job, but ultimately let his personal goals get in the way of the bigger team picture.

That hasn’t been the case for Horvat.

The London, Ontario, native proved that he’s committed to the Islanders by signing a long-term extension.

Now, that commitment meets a justified reward.

Moving forward, Horvat will face a much smoother transition as he takes over from Lee. But the fact that the new Isles captain is under contract for five more seasons bodes well for the team as a whole.

The up-and-coming core lead by Matthew Schaefer will have one heck of a role model to follow.

That’s a crucial point, especially for Schaefer. The 19-year-old’s career trajectory seems to be one of superstardom. And since it seems like it will only be a matter of time before Schaefer wears the “C”, having a mentor like Horvat is just absolutely fantastic.

Islanders need to round out leadership group

The question remaining will be the Islanders’ need to round out its leadership group. With Horvat no longer wearing an “A”, there will be one more available for other team leaders.

Barzal and Palmieri should be in line to get an “A” on their sweaters this season. Nevertheless, the team might consider naming another alternate captain.

That responsibility may land on someone like Pulock or Adam Pelech.

Although, if the organization really wanted to create a stir, why not give Schaefer and occasional “A”? It would be an interesting acknowledgement for such a young player. Last season, we saw another 19-year-old, Macklin Celebrini, wear an “A” for the San Jose Sharks.

So, it wouldn’t be the craziest idea in the world to see Schaefer wear one.

The future looks bright for the Islanders, now that Bo Horvat and a renewed leadership group will take to the ice for the 2026-27 season.

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