How the Horvat trade impacts Canucks, Islanders

The Vancouver Canucks began their "retool" on Monday, trading captain Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty, and a protected 2023 first-round draft pick.

Canucks president Jim Rutherford hinted earlier this month that significant changes could be coming to the team's roster and the "major surgery" now appears to be underway.

"I still believe in the core, and I still believe that we have a lot of good players, but with that, when I talk about major surgery, well, there could be core players that have to move out," Rutherford said on Jan. 16. "It may be the way, it may be the only way that we can get significant players back, where you take a core player, and you can get a good, young centre and a good right-shot defenceman. It may be the only way to do it."

The Canucks got a 20-year-old centre back in Raty and a winger to add to their roster now in the 25-year-old Beauvillier, in addition to the pick, but it would be naïve to say Horvat's absence won't be felt.

Horvat was Vancouver's leading goal-scorer this season with 31, accounting for more than 19 per cent of the team's total. He also sat second in points on the roster with 54, four back of centre Elias Pettersson. 

Moving the 27-year-old centre, however, might have the biggest impact on the team's special teams success, as Horvat has been a key contributor this season on both the power play and the penalty kill.

The Canucks rank 14th in power play success this season, converting on 22.8 per cent of their opportunities. Horvat has 11 goals and seven assists on the power play, playing a role in 46 per cent of team's 39 goals with the man advantage this season.

Vancouver owns the league's worst penalty kill, successfully defending just 65.5 per cent of all shorthanded situations. For perspective, the Seattle Kraken are 31st and almost seven per cent better than the Canucks at 72.3 per cent. 

Horvat was on the ice for 41.3 per cent of Vancouver's time shorthanded this season, averaging 1:45 per game. He contributed three of the team's four shorthanded goals this season and assisted on the other Pettersson.

The Canucks also moved their best faceoff winner in Monday's deal, with Horvat owning a 56 per cent win percentage at the draw this season. His 1,116 faceoffs taken this season are 564 more than the next-highest (Pettersson) and he was the only Canucks player to boast a win percentage above 52 per cent (minimum 100 attempts). With Horvat removed, the Canucks have a win rate of just 45 per cent.

Sitting 14 points out of a playoff spot entering play Tuesday, the Canucks are likely fall further out of the playoff picture without Horvat's production.

Horvat's Impact on Islanders

Sitting two points out of a playoff spot, Horvat should provide an immediate spark to the Islanders offence as he takes over the team lead in almost every statical category.

Horvat's 31 goals are 12 more than the Islanders leaders Brock Nelson and Anders Lee and his 54 points are eight higher than Nelson's team-leading 46.

While the Canucks will feel his loss on the power play, his eight goals will be welcome for a unit that has produced just 23 this season and owns the league's second-worst success rate at 15.5 per cent. 

The Islanders could also see a boost in possession, with Horvat likely to increase the team's current faceoff win percentage of 50. 3 per cent.
 

*Acquired Monday from Canucks

With the Islanders currently on their All-Star break, Horvat's debut will likely come next Monday against the Philadelphia Flyers.