The Islanders’ Christmas Miracle: Bo Horvat Is Coming Back
Bo Horvat could return against the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from The Elmonters.
ELMONT, NY — At 13:08 of the second period against the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 11, New York Islanders leading goal-scorer Bo Horvat hobbled down the tunnel.
Silence washed over the UBS Arena crowd and the Islanders’ bench. The reaction was understandable — the Islanders have seen this movie far too many times already in 2024-25.
On Nov. 18, defenseman Alexander Romanov was pushed into the end boards by Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen. He needed help off the ice after sustaining a right-shoulder injury that required surgery. His timeline is 5–6 months, and he’s likely out for the rest of the season.
Then, on Nov. 28, forward Kyle Palmieri went down awkwardly in the offensive zone. A few days later, news broke that he had torn his ACL and would miss the remainder of the season.
The déjà vu extended beyond this year. Last season, Anthony Duclair suffered a torn groin in Game 5 of the regular season, and Mathew Barzal’s campaign came to an abrupt end on Feb. 1 after blocking a shot off his left kneecap.
So when Horvat’s right leg became tangled with Ducks defenseman Scott Helleson’s left skate, the worst-case scenarios immediately surfaced.
Was it a groin tear? A knee issue? It looked awful — and the wheels started turning about what general manager Mathieu Darche might have to do without his best player.
Thankfully, it looked worse than it was.
“When it first happened, I was pretty scared, pretty worried,” Horvat said. “But it’s been healing pretty quick. I’m feeling pretty good out there. It’s getting better day by day, and I’m just trying to get back as soon as possible.”
His teammates shared that initial fear.
“You get a little nervous, obviously — just for the team, but for him and the Olympic year, and just how good he’s been playing for us,” Tony DeAngelo said. “A lot of thoughts go through your mind. From our standpoint, it’s a nervous time right there. Big sigh of relief when we found out Friday afternoon it wasn’t anything too serious. We need him back, but we also want him healthy. We don’t want him forcing his way back. We need him ready to roll.”
Horvat has missed five critical games (2-2-1) during a stretch where every point matters. Still, all signs point toward his return Saturday night against the cross-town rival New York Rangers.
It’s a Christmas miracle.
“We know how those things have gone,” Islanders captain Anders Lee told The Elmonters. “To lose him for a week or two is much better than the alternative. He’s such a big piece of this team — we’ve obviously missed him. Thankfully, it’s not going to be an extended thing. We definitely got away with one.”
Horvat’s absence has been felt far beyond goal scoring. His face-off dominance and penalty-killing reliability are not easily replaced.
That reality made Tuesday night’s comeback win even more important. With a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils, the Islanders ended the night in third place in the Metropolitan Division, just three points behind the first-place Carolina Hurricanes.
“Our division is so tight that it doesn’t separate us from much,” Lee said. “These are really big games. To get one — especially before Bo comes back — and add one more to the column was huge.”
Once Horvat returns, the ceiling for this team rises dramatically.
And after everything they’ve endured, just getting him back feels like a win in itself.
New York Islanders Make Annual Hospital Visits
The New York Islanders made their annual holiday hospital visits today. The players and mascot, Sparky, visited seven hospitals throughout the region, including: Cohen Children’s Medical Center, New Hyde Park; Stony Brook Hospital, Stony Brook; St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital, Bayside; Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow; Good Samaritan Hospital, West Islip; NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island, Mineola; and Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn.
Players visited hospital playrooms and children’s bedside as well, distributing toys, providing autographs, and taking pictures.
