NY Islanders desperately need Bo Horvat to shake off rust before the Olympic Break

Bo Horvat didn’t miss an overwhelming amount of time this season, but for a player whose career has been defined by durability and rhythm, even a brief absence can leave residue. With just three games left before the Olympic break, the challenge for the New York Islanders center is simple but significant: shake off the rust — fast.

Horvat returned recently after missing 14 games across two injury stints, the most he’s been sidelined in a season since 2017–18. While his conditioning hasn’t been an issue, timing has been. That’s natural for a center whose game relies on reads, faceoffs, puck touches and constant involvement in all three zones.

“I think the legs and conditioning feel pretty good,” Horvat said in the New York Post via Ethan Sears. “It’s more the timing — where to be, when to be there. Hands, reads, faceoffs. That just takes a little bit of time. I feel better every game.”

In his first five games back, Horvat has largely looked like himself in some ways, but not so much in others. He’s been strong defensively, effective on draws, and already developing chemistry with newly acquired Ondrej Palát. He’s also recorded assists in both rivalry wins over the Rangers. Still, there have been subtle moments — a half-step late, a missed lane — that hint he’s not fully dialed in yet.

That’s why the timing of his return matters. The Islanders play three meaningful games before the Olympic break, all of them with playoff implications in a tightly packed Metropolitan Division. For Horvat, those games double as a runway: a chance to get his timing back before heading to Milan with Team Canada, and a chance to reassert himself as the Islanders’ engine.

“I wanted to get back to help this team,” Horvat said. “Of course the Olympics are in the back of your mind, but the focus is here. These games matter.”

Head coach Patrick Roy has liked what he’s seen so far, praising Horvat’s two-way impact and leadership, even as the offense comes back in stages.

The Islanders felt Horvat’s absence. Now, with the margin for error shrinking, they need him fully up to speed — quickly. Three games isn’t much time, but for Horvat, it might be exactly what he needs.