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.

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One of the highlights of this past season was the bromance between Horvat and linemate Mat Barzal both on and off the ice. The duo had immediate chemistry when playing together, which helped Horvat make the huge offensive impact that he did. Horvat finished the season second in goals scored, just one behind leader Brock Nelson, and fourth in points with 68. Horvat's offensive prowess gave the Islanders their biggest boost amid a struggling power play. His ability to effortlessly pass and shoot, especially with Barzal, helped the Islanders get a much needed boost on the man advantage. He finished the season with 10 power play goals and a short-handed goal in his back pocket.

Horvat was always there when he was needed. Coaches know that in clutch moments, Bo knows goals. And even if he wasn't scoring, he always knew exactly when to pass and shoot for a clutch goal or play. Horvat finished the season with six game-winning goals, three of which came in overtime. Horvat's leadership in those moments never went unnoticed. He tends to calm players down, with their confidence in his offensive and play-making abilities taking charge. He was a leader on the Islanders bench, always calling linemates over to talk through plays or ways to fix things that didn't quite work, and remaining calm and poised even during the worst losses.

One of the biggest contributions that Horvat made to the Islanders was in the faceoff circle. With a stacked lineup down the middle, the Islanders dominated the faceoff circle this past season. Horvat was a big help defensively, which was especially helpful amid the Islanders extreme defensive struggles this season. Horvat finished the season at 54% in the faceoff circle, and his focus on playing end-to-end hockey allowed Barzal to focus on his offense, creating a perfectly balanced line.