Islanders’ Bo Horvat day-to-day with lower-body injury

Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The New York Islanders announced Saturday that center Bo Horvat is sidelined day-to-day with a lower-body ailment.

Horvat appeared in the Islanders’ most recent outing, seeing nearly 17 minutes of ice-time and netting a third-period goal in Thursday’s 5-4 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.

On the season, Horvat has made 31 appearances with the Islanders in which he has registered eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points to rank third in team scoring. The 29-year-old native of London, Ont., is coming off a career season where he reached new heights in all major offensive categories including 33 goals and 35 assists for 68 points across 81 appearances.

Acquired from the Vancouver Canucks during the 2022-23 campaign, Horvat is skating in his second full season with the Islanders. In all, the veteran forward has made 763 career appearances between the two clubs in which he has collected 249 goals and 277 assists for 526 points.

Per PuckPedia, Horvat is under contract through the 2030-31 campaign and carries an $8.5-million annual average value.

Originally chosen ninth overall by Vancouver in the 2013 NHL Draft, Horvat previously skated three seasons with his hometown London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League prior to joining the Canucks, underscored by back-to-back J. Ross Robertson Cup titles as OHL playoff champions in 2012 and 2013. Through 185 regular-season appearances with the Knights, Horvat amassed 165 points counting 74 goals and 91 assists.

For the Islanders, the club will look to secure its second-straight win versus the Blackhawks when the two teams meet again Sunday. On the season, the Islanders stand 12-12-7 and a lone point back of the Metropolitan Division rival Philadelphia Flyers for the second wildcard position in the Eastern Conference.

Beyond Horvat’s exit from the lineup, New York could also have a vastly different look Sunday versus the Blackhawks as on Friday the club placed a pair of forwards in veteran Pierre Engvall and former first-round pick Oliver Wahlstrom on the waiver wire.