Islanders no doubt clear winners of Bo Horvat trade after Raty traded to Maple Leafs

When the New York Islanders traded for Bo Horvat in 2023 there were some questions about the package the organization surrendered for the then-Vancouver Canucks captain.

The Canucks faced a contract stalemate with Horvat. So, instead of letting him walk, the Canucks sent him to Long Island. The trade was a bit unexpected for Horvat, who, at the time, believed that his camp and Canucks management could work something out.

The trade went through and has been highly beneficial for the Islanders. Horvat is now the captain in Long Island and is the undisputed heart and soul of the franchise.

But what about the other pieces surrendered in the deal?

Those pieces have made this deal look like a steal. But after Aatu Raty landed on waivers and then was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the deal looks like one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history.

The first piece, Anthony Beauvillier, did not work out in Vancouver. The Canucks ended up selling low on him, jettisoning him to the Chicago Blackhawks for a fifth-round pick.

The other piece, a 2023 first-round pick, went to the Detroit Red Wings in the Filio Hronek deal. The Canucks got one heck of a defenseman who’s likely on the outs now that the organization is in the midst of a rebuild.

It’s worth pointing out that Hronek is not technically part of the Horvat trade. So, he doesn’t really count, even if the Canucks used the pick to land another player down the line. What is interesting to note is that the Red Wings took defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka with that pick.

Boy, would he have looked good for the Canucks now, amid their rebuild. But this isn’t a conversation about the Canucks.

Then, there’s Raty.

Aatu Raty was the key in the Bo Horvat trade

There’s no question that the most intriguing piece in this entire deal was Aatu Raty. He was a second-round pick, but projected to have top-six potential. He was one, if not the Islanders’ best prospect at the time.

That’s why the Canucks wanted him.

And if Beauvillier was meant to be a placeholder for Horvat, Raty was earmarked to be his successor.

Unfortunately, things didn’t quite work out for Raty. He didn’t live up to expectations in his first couple of go-arounds in Vancouver. Expectations hit a high when he led the Abbotsford Canucks to the AHL Calder Cup in 2025.

That success didn’t translate to the NHL level last season. He managed just 14 points in 66 games in what was an awful season for the Canucks.

This season, first-year coach Manny Malhotra, the same guy that coached him in Abbotsford, had seen enough. Raty hit the waiver wire and eventually found himself going to Toronto.

Incidentally, the main reason why the Maple Leafs traded for Raty was the need for roster flexibility. The Leafs had their full 50 NHL contract slots filled. That’s why they sent two players to Vancouver for Raty. Toronto gained one player while liberating one contract spot.

That was the entire secret behind the trade to Toronto.

There’s a chance that Islanders fans will see Raty once again in the NHL. But that’s doubtful at this point.

The bottom line is that Raty, having fallen on hard times, now makes the Bo Horvat trade look like highway robbery.

Still, you can’t help but think that Raty would have reached his potential if he had stayed in Long Island.

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