Bo Horvat Bio
Bowie William Horvat, known professionally as Bo Horvat, is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays centre and serves as alternate captain for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected ninth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2013 NHL entry draft, he spent his formative NHL years in Vancouver, eventually wearing the captain’s ‘C’ before being traded to the Islanders in January 2023. A two-time NHL All-Star, Horvat has built a reputation as a reliable two-way centre with a strong face-off presence and a nose for timely goals. He also represented Canada at multiple international tournaments, including the 2018 IIHF World Championship.
Early Life and Background
Bo Horvat was born on April 5, 1995, in London, Ontario, to Tim and Cindy Horvat. He grew up in the small community of Rodney, Ontario, roughly a 90-minute drive from Detroit, Michigan, and attended a number of Detroit Red Wings ice hockey games as a child, an experience that helped spark his love for the sport. Horvat and his younger brother Cal regularly practised hockey in the family basement throughout their childhood, sharpening their skills in a household where the sport was central.
When Horvat was 12, he moved away from home to live with a billet family and play for the Toronto Red Wings minor ice hockey team, a significant early step in his development. In 2008, he helped the Red Wings defeat the London Jr. Knights in the All-Toronto Peewee AAA hockey tournament, scoring 10 goals and leading the team with 16 points in the round-robin portion. During the 2010–11 minor hockey season, he played for the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs of the Alliance Hockey organization and was named league player of the year after recording 47 goals and 71 assists for 118 points in 68 games.
Path to Hockey
After his Elgin-Middlesex season concluded, Horvat appeared in five games with the St. Thomas Stars of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, a team coached by his father Tim, helping them win their league championship. That brief stint served as preparation for the leap from minor to junior hockey. In 2011, the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) selected him ninth overall in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection draft, launching his major-junior career.
Joining the Knights for the 2011–12 season, Horvat scored his first OHL goal in his league debut, an 8–0 win over the Saginaw Spirit on September 23, 2011. During his rookie year he posted 11 goals and 19 assists with a +27 plus-minus rating in 64 regular season games. The Knights won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL champions that year, defeating the Niagara IceDogs, though they fell in overtime to the Shawinigan Cataractes in the 2012 Memorial Cup final.
Bo Horvat Career
Early Career (2011–2014)
Horvat’s second OHL season in 2012–13 saw him improve to 33 goals and 61 points in 67 regular season games, highlighted by a 17-game point streak that ended on January 13, 2013. He also earned coaches’ awards for the OHL Western Conference as the best face-off skater and shot blocker on the Knights. Leading London’s second consecutive OHL championship run, he paced the league with 16 goals and 23 points in 21 postseason games, netting the game-winning goal with 0.1 seconds left in Game 7 of the OHL finals against the Barrie Colts.
His playoff performance earned him the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as OHL playoff most valuable player, and he later received the George Parsons Trophy as the most sportsmanlike player of the 2013 Memorial Cup. Returning for the 2013–14 OHL season as an alternate captain, Horvat produced a second consecutive 30-goal campaign with a career-best 44 assists and 74 points, though the Knights were eliminated in the OHL semifinals by the Guelph Storm. The Vancouver Canucks selected him ninth overall in the 2013 NHL entry draft, and he signed a three-year entry-level contract on August 6, 2013.
Vancouver Canucks Breakthrough (2014–2019)
After a shoulder injury in pre-season and a brief conditioning stint with the AHL’s Utica Comets, Horvat made his NHL debut on November 4, 2014, against the Colorado Avalanche. He scored his first NHL goal on November 20 against Frederik Andersen of the Anaheim Ducks and registered his first three assists in his next game, a 4–1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished his rookie year with 13 goals and 12 assists in 68 games, earning two fifth-place votes for the Calder Memorial Trophy, and added a team-high four points in six playoff games during the Canucks’ first-round loss to the Calgary Flames.
During the 2015–16 season, Horvat played all 82 games and recorded 16 goals and 24 assists for 40 points, emerging as a dependable two-way centre. On January 10, 2017, he was named an All-Star for the 2017 NHL All-Star Game, becoming the youngest Canuck selected for the event since Trevor Linden. He set career highs that season with 20 goals, 32 assists and 52 points across 82 games and was named one of Vancouver’s alternate captains, replacing Alexandre Burrows. On September 8, 2017, the Canucks signed him to a six-year, $33 million contract extension worth $5.5 million annually.
The 2018–19 season saw Horvat set new career highs with 27 goals, 34 assists and 61 points in 82 games, despite playing most of the year without consistent linemates. He served as one of four alternate captains following the retirement of Daniel and Henrik Sedin, reinforcing his standing within the Vancouver locker room.
New York Islanders Era (2023–Present)
On January 30, 2023, the Canucks traded Horvat to the New York Islanders in exchange for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Räty and a conditional first-round pick in 2023. He had matched his previous career high of 31 goals through only 49 games that season and was named to his second NHL All-Star Game, representing the Pacific Division despite moving to the Eastern Conference. Switching from jersey number 53 to 14 because Casey Cizikas already wore 53, he signed an eight-year, $68 million contract extension on February 5, 2023.
Horvat scored his first Islanders goal on February 7, 2023, in a 4–0 win over the Seattle Kraken, marking the start of a new chapter on Long Island. He also represented Canada at the 2018 IIHF World Championship and was named to Canada’s roster for the 2025 IIHF World Championship. With his current contract running through 2031, Horvat remains a central figure in the Islanders’ lineup.
Driving Style and Strengths
Horvat is widely recognized for his elite face-off ability, strong defensive responsibility, and knack for scoring in high-leverage moments. His two-way game, combined with leadership qualities, has made him a fixture on special teams and a reliable matchup centre against opposing top lines. Coaches and teammates have repeatedly praised his work ethic, hockey intelligence, and commitment to the details of the game.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his career highlights, Horvat scored his 100th NHL goal on October 20, 2019, in a 3–2 win over the New York Rangers, and notched his first career hat trick two days later in a 5–2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. During the 2020 playoffs, his 10 goals ranked as the third-highest playoff goal total in a single year by a Canuck, trailing only Pavel Bure and Trevor Linden. His game-winning goal with 0.1 seconds left in the 2013 OHL finals stands as one of the most dramatic moments of his junior career.
Bo Horvat Career Wins
Bo Horvat has collected a range of team and individual honours across his junior and professional career, anchored by his success with the London Knights and his ongoing contributions at the NHL level. His two J. Ross Robertson Cup titles and Wayne Gretzky 99 Award capture his junior dominance, while his NHL All-Star selections reflect his sustained excellence among the league’s top centres.
OHL Highlights
Horvat won back-to-back J. Ross Robertson Cup titles with the London Knights in 2012 and 2013, establishing himself as one of the OHL’s premier two-way players. His 2013 playoff performance, which included 16 goals and 23 points in 21 games, earned him the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as playoff MVP. He also captured the George Parsons Trophy at the 2013 Memorial Cup for sportsmanship and on-ice conduct.
Other Wins & Performances
In minor hockey, Horvat helped the Toronto Red Wings capture the All-Toronto Peewee AAA hockey tournament in 2008 and led the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs to honours as league player of the year in 2010–11. Internationally, he captained Team Ontario to a bronze medal at the 2012 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and helped Canada win gold at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. He was also a member of Canada’s squad at the 2014 World Junior Championships and the 2018 and 2025 IIHF World Championships.
Bo Horvat Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Bo Horvat was raised in Rodney, Ontario, by his parents Tim and Cindy Horvat, both of whom played important roles in his development. His father Tim coached him with the St. Thomas Stars and continues to be a trusted source of advice, including guidance that helped Bo break out of goal-scoring slumps early in his NHL career. His younger brother Cal also played for the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs and the London Knights before deciding to pursue a career as a police officer in Ontario. Bo is second cousins with fellow NHL player Travis Konecny of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Personal Life
Horvat proposed to his longtime girlfriend, professional equestrian and curler Holly Donaldson, on September 3, 2018, after meeting during his junior career when she attended the University of Western Ontario. The couple married in July 2019, with Canucks teammate Sven Bärtschi and former OHL teammates Max Domi, Josh Anderson and Chris Tierney serving as groomsmen. Their first child, Gunnar Horvat, was born on June 28, 2020, shortly before Bo reported to Vancouver’s playoff training camp.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Bo Horvat remains a central figure in the New York Islanders’ lineup, providing veteran leadership and top-six offence. Under his eight-year contract extension signed in February 2023, he is expected to continue anchoring the team’s centre group and contributing on both the power play and penalty kill. His consistent two-way play and face-off prowess remain key ingredients in the Islanders’ pursuit of a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Horvat was also named to Canada’s roster for the 2025 IIHF World Championship, underscoring his continued standing among the country’s top players. His familiarity with head coach Patrick Roy’s system and chemistry with linemates should help stabilize the Islanders’ offensive identity. As the franchise navigates a competitive Metropolitan Division, Horvat’s leadership and playoff experience will be central to the team’s ambitions.