VANCOUVER, British Columbia — There was nothing just like the wall of media that awaited Bo Horvat at Rogers Enviornment a yr in the past Thursday, however you don’t have to look far to see some No. 53 sweaters emblazoned with the “C” on the streets surrounding the Canucks’ dwelling enviornment.
“Sometimes, I forget to sign the 53 instead of the 14,” Horvat quipped Thursday morning earlier than the Islanders smashed the Canucks, 5-2. “So, sorry if I did that to you out there.”
It’s been 22 months since Horvat performed for the house crew right here, however it’s nonetheless unusual for him to come back again.
Horvat, although, was fairly properly conscious from the beginning of that 2022-23 season that he ultimately could be delivery out of Vancouver after the cap-strapped Canucks signed J.T. Miller to an eight-year extension, which means they wouldn’t have the room to re-sign him.
Aatu Raty, who was a part of the return package deal the Islanders despatched again, together with Anthony Beauvillier and their 2023 first-round choose, had no clue a transfer was comingplayed on Vancouver’s fourth line Thursday night time.
“I feel like it’s something if you haven’t been traded, you feel like it’s not going to happen,” mentioned Raty, who was considered the Isles’ finest prospect on the time. “I take a look at the room, I don’t suppose I used to be massively talked about to get traded. None of my associates have been saying something about that or something.
“It was definitely a shock. I wasn’t on my phone, I wasn’t in the room with my phone, so I think I found out like three hours later. That was not great.”
Raty, who spent final season on the Canucks’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford, was dealing with the Islanders for the primary time Thursday, which additionally occurred to be his twenty second birthday.
“This was definitely marked up in the calendar,” Raty mentioned jokingly.
Clearly, that was additionally the case for Horvat, who flew down the ice, beating a number of Canucks alongside the best way earlier than feeding Anders Lee for the Islanders’ fourth purpose of the night time at 11:42 of the third.
“I don’t have as many nerves as I did last year, for so many reasons,” he mentioned. “I think having that experience last year definitely helps coming in. It’s still nerve-wrecking, still weird. … It’s fun to be back.”
Islanders head coach Patrick Roy mentioned Travis Mitchell’s call-up Wednesday was not associated to anybody’s efficiency however merely was meant to present the Islanders an additional physique whereas on the West Coast.
It stays a chance that Alexander Romanov, who’s day-to-day with an upper-body damage, returns to play sooner or later on the journey, however No. 28 continued to put on a non-contact jersey at Thursday’s morning skate.
