Bo Horvat proves that his contract with the NY Islanders wasn't a mistake after a dominant season

Bo Horvat had no issues winning over the hearts of NY Islanders fans everywhere with his leadership and skills on and off the ice. In his first full season with the Islanders, Horvat was a top scorer for the Islanders and seemed to redeem himself from his lackluster performance after being traded from the Vancouver Canucks.

Horvat kicked off an eight-year, $8.5M contract this past season, and went on to score the second-highest goal total of his career with 33. While he lived up to his contract this past season, Horvat still has a lot of room for improvement as an Islander. However, playing a season with two coaches and more lineup changes than anyone thought possible, it's understandable that his performance was shaky at times. He helped lead a struggling team into the playoffs, despite the first-round exit and helped young players gain confidence in their offensive abilities.

Horvat is one of the Islanders' best players, there's no doubt about that. So much so that some fans have been calling for a captain switch from Anders Lee to Horvat. Yet, many naysayers believe that Horvat isn't living up to his contract and shouldn't receive the praise he gets. So what's the truth? Well, trading for and signing Horvat in 2023 was a lot of bucks for the Islanders, but it's questionable if the bang they got in return is enough to cover the cost. Let's take a deeper dive into the highs and lows of Bo Horvat's 2023-24 season.