Why Bo Horvat was the best choice to be the Islanders' next captain

Matthew Schaefer, who, as a reminder, has just turned 19, certainly sounded like the captain he will eventually be as he discussed the Islanders naming Bo Horvat as their 16th captain on Monday.

“So many guys can learn so much from him,” Schaefer said before teeing-off at the Islanders’ annual charity golf tournament at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury. “Even if he wasn’t wearing a letter, everyone looks up to him still. All the guys, they respect him so much and he’s such a great leader.”

The news had been the expected outcome ever since Anders Lee, who shares the team record with Hall of Famer Denis Potvin for longest captaincy at eight seasons, signed with Utah as a free agent on July 1.

Yet two things can be true: Horvat, the former Canucks captain, is undoubtedly the right choice for right now from a candidate pool that included former Blues captain Brayden Schenn, alternate captains Ryan Pulock and Kyle Palmieri, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mathew Barzal. And Schaefer will undoubtedly be the next captain. Coach Pete DeBoer acknowledged he considered the reigning unanimous Calder Trophy winner to wear the “C.”

But why rush this? No, the prudent course and the best for Schaefer’s natural development as the face of the franchise is to let him learn how to be an NHL captain from Horvat, just as he spent a season watching how Lee – among the first to call Horvat and offer congratulations – handled the responsibility.

“Absolutely, he was a consideration,” DeBoer said. “It shows you how special a kid he is that he was a consideration. That shows you already the respect the group has for him and how he carries himself. He's so mature beyond his years.

“Probably what differentiates our situation from some of those other situations is just the depth of veteran leadership in the room, the other options and guys that he can learn from, that he can take things from.”

Horvat, the Canucks' captain from 2019 until his All-Star break trade to the Islanders in 2023 and entering the fourth season of an eight-year, $68 million deal, is the epitome of even-keel in the dressing room, much like Lee though both have strong emotions that can filter through. Horvat, like Lee, mixes the best two qualities of a captain, one who leads by example on the ice and one who can speak up with authority and have teammates listen.

“I'm not going to say it was an easy decision, but it was a fairly easy decision,” said DeBoer, who replaced Patrick Roy with four games remaining last season and is tasked with leading the Islanders to their first playoff series win since 2021.

“We had a lot of great leadership options. I got to know the group as much as I could. But I kept coming back to he's been a captain before. And my experience with him at the Olympics [in February], I got to spend three weeks with him there, saw him first-hand every day how he operates, what he's about. I had a real comfort level with what he was going to bring in that spot.”

Defenseman Tony DeAngelo pointed to another reason Horvat is the right fit right now, comparing him to Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal from his two stints in Carolina who also played in all situations.

“First off, Leesy is a great captain, great guy,” DeAngelo said. “Obviously, it’s a huge loss for the organization and, personally, from a friend standpoint but it’s part of the business. Bo’s been there before. He’s done it. He’s a guy that’s loved in the room. He’s a great player on the ice. He’s a good leader. He leads by example with the way he plays. He’s a guy that plays power play, penalty kill. At a key time in the game, he’s always on the ice. So it’s a great choice by the team.”

Horvat, for his part, seemed humbled and surprised by the honor. He said neither he nor his teammates were really sure how DeBoer would handle the vacancy Lee left.

DeBoer could have gone the status quo route and left one “A” on Horvat while Pulock and Palmieri continued to alternate on a home-and-away basis. Instead, the coach made a definitive move prior to training camp opening on Thursday.

“There’s a huge history in this organization and a successful history and we want to repeat that,” Horvat said. “The ultimate goal is to win a Stanley Cup here, to bring a Stanley Cup back to Long Island. I want to be a reason that happens. I think we’re building towards that. I really truly believe in this organization.”

Having Schaefer in the organization is a huge reason for optimism. He’ll wear the “C” eventually. But Horvat is the right choice for right now.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.