Bowie William Horvat was born on April 5, 1995 in London, Ontario. Horvat started playing hockey at an early age. By the time he was 12 years old, he was living with a billet family in order to play minor hockey in Toronto. Horvat impressed enough in minor hockey to be selected 9th overall in the 2011 OHL Draft by the London Knights.
In Horvat’s first season with the Knights, they won the OHL Finals and advanced to the final of the Memorial Cup, but lost to the Shawinigan Cataractes. Horvat had 11 goals and 30 points in the regular season and 4 points in 18 playoff games. Horvat’s production significantly improved in his sophomore season. He jumped to 33 goals and 61 points through 67 games. Once again, Horvat and the Knights won the OHL Championship. Horvat had a better postseason and led the league with 16 goals and 23 points in 21 games. Horvat scored the game winning goal in Game 7 of the OHL Finals with less than one second remaining in the game. Horvat was named OHL Playoffs MVP. The Knights didn’t win the Memorial Cup again, but Horvat was recognized as the most sportsmanlike player of the tournament.
Horvat’s run in the OHL playoffs and solid regular season drove his stock up for the 2013 NHL Draft. The NHL Central Scouting Bureau had Horvat ranked 15th amongst North American skaters. New Jersey was hosting the draft that year and they held the 9th overall pick. While fans were expecting the team to make a splash with their pick, no one was expecting them to do what they did, which was trade the 9th overall selection to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for goaltender Cory Schneider. Horvat became the 5th Center drafted when the Canucks took him with the 9th pick.
Horvat signed his entry-level contract with the Canucks later in the summer. Horvat had a chance to make the team, but returned to junior for the 2013-14 season in order to further develop and maximize his ice-time. Horvat had another great season with the Knights and finished the year with 30 goals and 74 points in 54 games.
Horvat made the Canucks roster at the start of the 2014-15 season. A shoulder injury in the pre-season had him loaned to Utica on a conditioning stint, but he was recalled and played his first NHL game on November 4th against the Colorado Avalanche. Horvat’s first NHL goal was scored on Frederik Anderson against the Anaheim Ducks on November 20th. Horvat started the year on a third line with Janik Hansen and Ronald Ķēniņš. Later in the season, he was bumped to the 2nd line to play alongside Alex Burrows and Chris Higgins. Horvat had a 13 goal, 25 point rookie campaign. Vancouver qualified for the playoffs and Horvat led the club in scoring with 4 points in 6 games before being knocked out by the Calgary Flames.
Horvat’s sophomore season had its ups and downs. He was leaned on in a defensive role when the team had injuries to Henrik Sedin and Brandon Sutter. He suffered from a few goalless droughts stretching 9 and 27 games. On the positive side, he had a 6 game point streak and finished the year with 16 goals and 40 points in 82 games. In the 2016-17 season, Horvat was selected to participate in the NHL All-Star Game. He finished the season by setting a career-high with 20 goals and 52 points. He was named an Alternate Captain late in the season.
As an RFA, Horvat signed a six-year $33-Million extension leading up to training camp for the 2017-18 season. Horvat missed 18 games that season after suffering a broken foot. Nonetheless, Horvat set a career-high in goals with 22 and finished with 44 points in 64 games. After the retirement of the Sedins that season, Horvat was one of four players named as Alternate Captain for the 2018-19 season. Horvat once again set career-highs with 27 goals and 61 points in 82 games.
On October 9, 2019, Horvat was named the 14th Captain of the franchise in a pre-game ceremony of the Canucks 50th season. That season, Horvat scored his 100th career goal and achieved his first career hat-trick. Horvat most notably went on a terrific run that season during the COVID bubble playoffs. Horvat scored 10 goals and had 12 points in 17 games. Vancouver struggled to make the playoffs over the course of the next two seasons. Horvat continued to be a top player for the Canucks and had 91 points in 126 games across the next two seasons.
In 2022-23, Horvat was going into the final year of his deal and many expected Vancouver to lock-up their Captain. Instead, Vancouver chose to re-sign JT Miller in the summer to a 7-year $56-Million extension. Horvat remained unsigned at the start of the regular season and Vancouver was dealing with a salary cap crunch. Horvat was motivated to perform and was on a red hot start at the beginning of the year. Horvat had 31 goals in just 49 games with the Canucks which ultimately drove his asking price up and maybe even bumped him out of Vancouver’s price range. With Vancouver on the outside of the playoff picture and undergoing a retool, the team opted to trade their Captain to the New York Islanders on January 30th in exchange for Aatu Raty, Anthony Beauvillier, and a 2023 1st Round Pick.
Horvat finished his season with the Islanders by scoring 7 goals and 16 points in 30 games. In his first full season with the Islanders, Horvat scored 33 goals and 68 points in 81 games. New York did not qualify for the playoffs.
Horvat ranks 10th in franchise scoring for the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks have been a better team since passing on Horvat.
Miller has been unbelievable, and has the kind of strength and leadership that could get us deep into the playoffs.
I like Horvat, but it was the right move.
No matter what has happened I’ll always be a fan of Horvat.
Man he was lights out on the faceoff dot, that’s what I remember most.
10 comments
10. Bo Horvat — 621GP | 201G | 219A | 420P | 2015-2023
Bowie William Horvat was born on April 5, 1995 in London, Ontario. Horvat started playing hockey at an early age. By the time he was 12 years old, he was living with a billet family in order to play minor hockey in Toronto. Horvat impressed enough in minor hockey to be selected 9th overall in the 2011 OHL Draft by the London Knights.
In Horvat’s first season with the Knights, they won the OHL Finals and advanced to the final of the Memorial Cup, but lost to the Shawinigan Cataractes. Horvat had 11 goals and 30 points in the regular season and 4 points in 18 playoff games. Horvat’s production significantly improved in his sophomore season. He jumped to 33 goals and 61 points through 67 games. Once again, Horvat and the Knights won the OHL Championship. Horvat had a better postseason and led the league with 16 goals and 23 points in 21 games. Horvat scored the game winning goal in Game 7 of the OHL Finals with less than one second remaining in the game. Horvat was named OHL Playoffs MVP. The Knights didn’t win the Memorial Cup again, but Horvat was recognized as the most sportsmanlike player of the tournament.
Horvat’s run in the OHL playoffs and solid regular season drove his stock up for the 2013 NHL Draft. The NHL Central Scouting Bureau had Horvat ranked 15th amongst North American skaters. New Jersey was hosting the draft that year and they held the 9th overall pick. While fans were expecting the team to make a splash with their pick, no one was expecting them to do what they did, which was trade the 9th overall selection to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for goaltender Cory Schneider. Horvat became the 5th Center drafted when the Canucks took him with the 9th pick.
Horvat signed his entry-level contract with the Canucks later in the summer. Horvat had a chance to make the team, but returned to junior for the 2013-14 season in order to further develop and maximize his ice-time. Horvat had another great season with the Knights and finished the year with 30 goals and 74 points in 54 games.
Horvat made the Canucks roster at the start of the 2014-15 season. A shoulder injury in the pre-season had him loaned to Utica on a conditioning stint, but he was recalled and played his first NHL game on November 4th against the Colorado Avalanche. Horvat’s first NHL goal was scored on Frederik Anderson against the Anaheim Ducks on November 20th. Horvat started the year on a third line with Janik Hansen and Ronald Ķēniņš. Later in the season, he was bumped to the 2nd line to play alongside Alex Burrows and Chris Higgins. Horvat had a 13 goal, 25 point rookie campaign. Vancouver qualified for the playoffs and Horvat led the club in scoring with 4 points in 6 games before being knocked out by the Calgary Flames.
Horvat’s sophomore season had its ups and downs. He was leaned on in a defensive role when the team had injuries to Henrik Sedin and Brandon Sutter. He suffered from a few goalless droughts stretching 9 and 27 games. On the positive side, he had a 6 game point streak and finished the year with 16 goals and 40 points in 82 games. In the 2016-17 season, Horvat was selected to participate in the NHL All-Star Game. He finished the season by setting a career-high with 20 goals and 52 points. He was named an Alternate Captain late in the season.
As an RFA, Horvat signed a six-year $33-Million extension leading up to training camp for the 2017-18 season. Horvat missed 18 games that season after suffering a broken foot. Nonetheless, Horvat set a career-high in goals with 22 and finished with 44 points in 64 games. After the retirement of the Sedins that season, Horvat was one of four players named as Alternate Captain for the 2018-19 season. Horvat once again set career-highs with 27 goals and 61 points in 82 games.
On October 9, 2019, Horvat was named the 14th Captain of the franchise in a pre-game ceremony of the Canucks 50th season. That season, Horvat scored his 100th career goal and achieved his first career hat-trick. Horvat most notably went on a terrific run that season during the COVID bubble playoffs. Horvat scored 10 goals and had 12 points in 17 games. Vancouver struggled to make the playoffs over the course of the next two seasons. Horvat continued to be a top player for the Canucks and had 91 points in 126 games across the next two seasons.
In 2022-23, Horvat was going into the final year of his deal and many expected Vancouver to lock-up their Captain. Instead, Vancouver chose to re-sign JT Miller in the summer to a 7-year $56-Million extension. Horvat remained unsigned at the start of the regular season and Vancouver was dealing with a salary cap crunch. Horvat was motivated to perform and was on a red hot start at the beginning of the year. Horvat had 31 goals in just 49 games with the Canucks which ultimately drove his asking price up and maybe even bumped him out of Vancouver’s price range. With Vancouver on the outside of the playoff picture and undergoing a retool, the team opted to trade their Captain to the New York Islanders on January 30th in exchange for Aatu Raty, Anthony Beauvillier, and a 2023 1st Round Pick.
Horvat finished his season with the Islanders by scoring 7 goals and 16 points in 30 games. In his first full season with the Islanders, Horvat scored 33 goals and 68 points in 81 games. New York did not qualify for the playoffs.
Horvat ranks 10th in franchise scoring for the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks have been a better team since passing on Horvat.
Miller has been unbelievable, and has the kind of strength and leadership that could get us deep into the playoffs.
I like Horvat, but it was the right move.
No matter what has happened I’ll always be a fan of Horvat.
Man he was lights out on the faceoff dot, that’s what I remember most.
I hope the island loves Bo like we did
[BO HORVAT DID THAT](https://youtu.be/kVyhOb6xuKI?si=U5uNTy3SBCCJQJhQ) is one of my all time favorite clips, thats some [captain](https://youtu.be/5dns6uiwFa0?si=4xwdgd5ZSA-n2aPn) shit right there. While I’m glad we made the move we made I can’t help but miss him.
His overtime goal against the Leafs when the Canucks returned from COVID is also a great memory.
I’m still salty about him throwing shade at the fans and the team after the trade… Didn’t have to do us like that
…but damn could he win a face off
I’ll never forget Horvats goals vs the Blues in the bubble playoffs. He was a huge factor in us getting to the 2nd round for the first time 9 years.
He died for this era – never forget
Thank god we let this guy go. We would be stuck as a middle of the pack team otherwise