Islanders' Bo Horvat sees goals and playoffs ahead this season

Bo Horvat wants more. More from himself. And more for the Islanders.

He also knows how he plays in  his third full season on Long Island will go a long way in determining whether the Islanders, who open the season on Thursday night in Pittsburgh, return to the playoffs.

“The ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup, bring a Stanley Cup back here,” Horvat told Newsday following Tuesday’s lengthy practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. “That was the whole reason coming here and signing here. I believe in this team. I believe in the organization.

“There’s definitely some growing pains and things I can definitely improve on and keep getting better at. Hopefully, guys stay healthy. But I feel I have more. I feel like it’s been good but, at the same time, I want more.”

Horvat, 30, entering the third season of an eight-year, $68 million deal that he signed six days after being acquired from the Canucks on Jan. 30, 2023, has lived up to his reputation as a solid, two-way, top-line center. He notched 33 goals and 35 assists in 2023-24 and 28 goals and 29 assists last season while playing 81 games each season.

“His game is just so well rounded,” captain Anders Lee said. “It’s almost not flashy. He doesn’t dipsy-doodle, really. He’s just so strong and he makes the right play and it’s simple.”

The goal pace just hasn’t been the same as the 31 goals he scored in 49 games for the Canucks prior to the trade.

“I was playing some of my best hockey,” Horvat said. “I had 11 power-play goals before I got traded out of the 31 so if we get our special teams back on track, yeah, I definitely think that’s sustainable. I definitely think I can get back to that elite level of goal scoring.”

Last season, Horvat scored just three power-play goals as the Islanders ranked 31st in the 32-team NHL.

Horvat will start the season centering free-agent signee Jonathan Drouin and Emil Heineman, an energy player with a blistering shot who played in a bottom-six role last season as a Canadiens rookie. Horvat also will play in between the circles on the top power-play unit along with Drouin, Mathew Barzal, Kyle Palmieri and defenseman Tony DeAngelo.

“We have the talent in this room to get that done,” Horvat said of returning to the postseason after finishing last season nine points out at 35-35-12. “It’s no question we should be in the playoffs this year. It’s up to us.”

Notes & quotes: Defenseman Adam Pelech has shed the full facial shield he’s been wearing since he was hit in the mouth with a puck prior to training camp opening . . . Coach Patrick Roy, asked about No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer, 18, making the team out of training camp, said he appreciates the “swagger” the defenseman displays. “You want to see them going and having fun with their friends,” Roy said. “But have that swagger. That confidence. That trust in themselves.”

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.