Canucks Trade Bo Horvat to the Islanders
The Vancouver Canucks traded center Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders in exchange for Anthony Beauvillier, prospect Aatu Raty, and a protected first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Cap Friendly indicates the pick is top-12 protected.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: And just like that, the player atop everyone’s trade rumor boards has been moved over a month before the March 3 trade deadline.
Vancouver Canucks trade Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders (NHL Images).
Horvat was the hot topic of media trade chatter since rejecting a contract offer from the Canucks around late November. Earlier this month, Canucks president of hockey ops Jim Rutherford said the club’s offer was based on his performance up to this season but Horvat’s camp sought more based on his play this season.
It’s believed the Canucks refused to spend more than $56 million on Horvat, which is what they spent on re-signing J.T. Miller last September. The club’s re-signing of Andrei Kuzmenko last week to a two-year deal worth $5.5 million annually set the stage for Horvat’s departure as they couldn’t afford to re-sign both players.
Horvat, 27, is in the midst of a career-best performance with 31 goals and 54 points in 49 games this season. He’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and carries an average annual value of $5.5 million. There is no indication from the Canucks’ press release that they retained any salary in this deal.
Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has been seeking a scoring forward since last summer. He attempted to sign Johnny Gaudreau and Nazem Kadri and reportedly made a failed attempt at last year’s draft to acquire Miller from the Canucks.
In the short term, Horvat should provide a much-needed boost to the Islanders’ anemic scoring punch. He’ll likely skate on the first line with Mathew Barzal shifting to the wing. It will also be interesting to see if he re-signs with the Isles or test this summer’s free-agent market.
Moving Beauvillier ($4.15 million through 2023-24) helped make the dollars work here for the Islanders. The 25-year-old winger had struggled to regain the 20-goal form from earlier in his career. Perhaps a change of scenery by moving to Vancouver will help him recover his scoring touch.
Raty, 20, was projected to become a top-10 pick at one point leading up to the 2021 NHL Draft but tumbled into the second round where the Isles chose him 52nd overall. He has the potential to become a productive NHL center. Raty’s in the first season of his three-year entry-level contract with two points in 12 games this season with the Isles.
The Canucks now have potentially two first-round picks in what’s considered a deep draft this year. Their own will likely become a lottery pick while the one from the Isles could end up in the latter half of the first round.
A lighter haul for Horvat than I thought.
Hi Lago,
Not with No contract signed…..
I think the Canucks did very well, getting what they got…. ❓
They may even Flip Anthony Beauvillier to a playoff contender for a 2nd round pick…. or a d prospect
They get a very good centre Prospect in 20 yr old Raty and a 1st rd pick in the Draft from 13th to 18th range
Now is this a Re-build thats what it looks like….
they still have 5 more players on the Block….⁉️
I like your thinking willie w. But I agree with Iago too!
Bo set the market.
The Canucks owners made it clear that the Canucks aren’t rebuilding. So I don’t think we’ll see Beauvillier traded for draft picks. I think Beauvillier was a piece the Canucks were wanting because he is reliable defensively. Which is what the Canucks are needing more of.
Should help isles rest of year but probably not enough to get them to playoffs unless some team falls apart above them
Top 12 protected – The islanders are only 1 point above the 12th worst team, Florida.
Each team has played 52 games. The panthers, a good home team, have played 3 fewer games in their own barn.
and here i thought the Bruins were going to unload Carlo on them. now if Sweeney runs out and makes a deal for Myers that will be a step back
My thoughts exactly Mrbruin4 – Lou didn’t get him thinking he would transform a team that has played at a 0.529% pace over their first 52 games into a 0.750% (suddenly ranking them with Boston and Carolina) over the final 30. He must have some confidence that he can get him signed to a new deal heading into next season.
“An overpaid bottom 6 guy, a prospect that isn’t exactly setting the AHL on fire taken in the 2nd round and a 1st that will likely be in the 2nd half of the 1st round unless Vancouver gets lucky and the Islanders use the pick this year and come completely undone next season to give them a better pick.”
A little light is right!
This is brutal. NYI can flip Horvat for more than they gave up for him.
I just can not fathom this is the best deal that would have materialised.
That or Horvat has a skeleton in his closet.
How could the Isles possibly get more if they have to flip him? If they have to flip him, 1) the team they trade with is probably in the playoffs, so the Isles just traded down in the first round; 2) an GM with half a brain knows they have Lou drowning in desperation, so they will trade him an anvil not a life preserver. The only way Lou “wins” this trade is to sign Horvat, and Horvat’s agent knows this so an overpay (more $ than Barzal) is in store for Isles. Whether you think it’s a good/bad trade for Isles, Lou still mismanaged it.
I agree about the return with one caveat. If the Islanders miss the playoffs and get a 12th or better pick, Vancouver gets next years pick unconditional. Then it could become a Vancouver win if the Islanders miss the playoffs in 2024 as well
Good trade for the Canucks, I do wonder if Lou will flip Bo at the deadline if there not in a playoff spot, with Bo gone it will be interesting to see who gets his PP time
Bill, the Isles made a good trade here. If Bo doesn’t sign an extension within the next few weeks and/or NY continues to struggle, then Lou will likely trade Horvat and maybe others, then tank their way into the Connor Bedard sweepstakes.
good point
and if no chemistry with Barzal flip him off to another
Wonder if Horvat signs on the Island.
Obe.
Would you?
I would think with giving up a first round pick that Lou is confident he can get him signed to an extension. This move was not just made to make the playoffs this season, this move was made for the future of the team. Could see Barzal playing on the left wing with Horvat at Center. I also believe this is Josh Bailey’s last season with the Islanders, if they can’t trade him at the deadline to clear more cap space still just let him go.
So Horvat seems to have gone as a rental. Would be interested to find out if the Islanders were allowed to talk to his agent before the trade. If this was the best offer the Canucks received, I am surprised – not even a third thrown in. Canucks gain some more cap room.
bad return for Canucks. Raty being the pendulum that is the key to any hope the Canucks win in this trade. Major faux pas in not getting a 3rd extra if they have to wait a year for 1st if it is a 2024 1st they end up getting
Most scouts are not sold on Raty, low hockey IQ and not enough acceleration on the skates
finally getting rid of Beau is a steal for the Isles. Ratty may or may not be good. I think Horvat has a handshake deal to sign long term. Lou did it with Palms and JPG when he traded for them. As an Isles fan wish they would have made this deal months ago.
I think this is a decent trade on both sides. The Islanders are needing more offence which Horvat will provide.
The Canucks are needing help defensively which Beauvillier should do from the forward group. The Canucks get a 1st round pick in a deep draft.
Rutherford set the price for Horvat when he said that he wants to pay him based on past performance.
This is an overpayment for pre-2022 Bo Horvat, a slight underpay for 2022 Bo. I’d say the deal is about right for both sides.