NY Islanders Bo Horvat says playing at UBS Arena is "a lot better than Vancouver"

Bo Horvat delivered a mic drop moment for his old fans in Vancouver after the NY Islanders 4-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers at UBS Arena on Saturday night.

Horvat had two assists and was named the game's second star. He stayed on the ice for a post-game interview with MSG Networks Shannon Hogan on the Islanders bench. At the end of the interview, Hogan asked Horvat about the "excitement of this building and the fans' involvement over the last couple of games" during the team's playoff push for one of the two final wild card spots.

I mean, it's been unbelievable. A lot better than Vancouver, I'll tell you that for free"

As the Canucks captain, Horvat was essentially the face of a franchise that had become dysfunctional on and off the ice this season. As a result, much of the fans' angst and criticism was geared toward their 2013 first-round draft pick.

The team made the post-season only twice in his eight full seasons with the franchise, so it's understandable how refreshing big games in front of an adoring home crowd can be for Horvat after years of missing the playoffs. The Islanders control their own destiny and have a magic number of three to secure a playoff spot, with the Pittsburgh Penguins trailing them by one point with two games remaining for each team.

Heading into unrestricted free agency into the off-season, Horvat was traded from Vancouver to the Islanders on Jan. 30 after scoring 31 goals and 54 points in just 49 games this season. Since the injury to Mathew Barzal, Horvat has struggled offensively, scoring seven goals and adding eight assists in 27 games.

Before he ever took the ice on Long Island, GM Lou Lamoriello signed the All-Star center to an eight-year $68 million dollar contract. As play-by-play announcer, Brendan Burke put it after hearing Horvat's comments, "He knows what his zip code's going to be for the next eight years."

Islanders fans experienced their captain John Tavares leaving in free agency for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2018. Tavares never delivered a message that resembled Horvat's but nevertheless was infamously booed relentlessly upon his return to the Nassau Coliseum on Feb 29, 2019. We'll see next season if Horvat's comments invite similar treatment next season.