Fantasy spin: Horvat trade impact on Islanders, Canucks

NHL.com has the fantasy hockey impact on the trade that sent the prized center Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders from the Vancouver Canucks. More coverage at NHL.com/Fantasy and order for free “NHL Fantasy on Ice” podcast.

THE EFFECT OF THE HORVAT TRADE ON THE ISLANDERS

The New York Islanders bought the center Bo Horvat of the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, instantly making him New York’s highest-ranked fantasy skater for the rest of the season. Horvat may lose in fantasy, but will give the Islanders some much-needed scoring help; he ranks eighth in the NHL in scoring (31 goals in 49 games) and is improving among the top six forwards and on the power play.

The Horvat trade could also help an elite goalkeeper Ilya Sorokin, ranked fourth overall and among the top 25 players in the Yahoo Fantasy league this season, will reach a full fantasy ceiling. The Islanders now have arguably the strongest center depth in the NHL with Horvat. Mathew Barzal, Brock Nelson and Jean-Gabriel Pageau and they are much better equipped to contend for the Stanley Cup playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

Horvat is ninth in the NHL in power-play goals (11) and should boost the Islanders’ power play, which has the second-worst percentage in the league this season (15.5). Nevertheless, it is worth noting Horvat’s shooting percentage (21.7), which is the second highest in the NHL. Mark Scheifele (21.8) Among Winnipeg Jets players with at least 100 shots on goal this season, the Islanders (2.85 goals per game; 25th in the NHL) could fall behind the Canucks’ deeper offense (3.31; 10th).

Other potential beneficiaries of the Horvat trade for the Islanders are the wings Anders Lee, Kyle Palmieri, Zach Parise and also a defender Noah Dobson and or Oliver Wahlstrom whenever everyone returns from a lower body injury. Since the Islanders now have so many strong center options, they could try to move Barzal or Nelson to the wing, which would likely benefit either player to even strength Horvat. While the trade may not significantly change the fantasy value of Nelson and Barzal, it should provide more support around them with Horvat as the workhorse center (20:49 per game; tied for 10th among NHL forwards).

[RELATED: Horvat traded to Islanders by Canucks]

IMPACT OF HORVAT TRADE ON CANUCK

Canucks lose Horvat, their leading scorer and second point producer (54 in 49 games) Elias Pettersson (58 in 47 games), but more forwards with a trick Anthony Beauvillier and possible Aatu Raty.

Vancouver will likely have Pettersson and JT Miller, who signed a seven-year contract on September 2, 2022 to remain with them at the end of this season as the centerpiece of the top two lines. The change of scenery could help Beauvillier, who ranks fifth on the Islanders in points (209,457 games) and fourth in goals (102) and shots (897) since entering the NHL in 2016-17. Beauvillier’s best scoring season came in 2017-18 (21 in 71 games).

Raty, 20, is another potential long-term fantasy target for Vancouver, which has had a disappointing season and recently made a coaching change (fired Bruce Boudreau; hired Rick Tocchet) but has a strong young core (Pettersson, defenseman) Quinn Hughesahead Andrei Kuzmenko, Brock Boeser, Vasily Podkolzin).

Raty, who has two goals in 12 NHL games this season, could play for the Canucks and is worth considering in fantasy point guard and dynasty leagues. He has collected 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 27 games this season with Bridgeport of the American Hockey League, and he was the referee for Finland in the 2022 World Junior Championship (10 points in seven games).

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