NY Islanders' forwards Bo Horvat and Jonathan Drouin are excited to play together again after 11 years

In his first season as GM, Mathieu Darche added some much-needed pop to the top-6, signing Jonathan Drouin to a two-year deal. Drouin, along with fellow newcomer Maxim Shabanov, has lined up on the Isles' top line early in training camp, centered by Bo Horvat.

Though Drouin and Horvat haven't played together in the NHL, the two were teammates for Team Canada at the 2014 World Junior Championships and are looking forward to playing together once again.

Horvat and Drouin teammates again 11 years later

"He's very smart," Drouin said of Horvat. "I like to think I'm smart too when I play. Especially in that bumper on the power play, he's one of the top guys in the league. I can name five or six, and he's part of that group. Get it to his stick in the slot, and it's probably going in the net. He's very good at positioning himself or bringing someone out when he's not the option to shoot; he brings guys towards him to create another lane for passing. But yeah, very smart player all around."

Though injuries have played a massive role in derailing Drouin's career, when healthy, he's proven he can put up some gaudy numbers. Playing alongside Horvat, he is capable of doing just that, as the two have begun building chemistry early in camp.

"Drou is so fun to play with," Horvat says. "He's got so much skill and so much creativity on the ice. I think him and I are going to get along well out there together. I already know him from the past a little bit. We're already familiar with each other, so we're just going to have to bring that chemistry on the ice as well."

Drouin and Horvat finished fourth with Team Canada at the WJC and are hoping for better results in year one together on Long Island.