Islanders reveal new jersey number for former Canucks captain Horvat

Jan 31 2023, 7:33 pm

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No. 53 is no more for Bo Horvat.

Horvat, acquired in a trade by the New York Islanders from the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, will sport some new digits when he makes his way east.

Horvat will rock No. 14 on Long Island, the team has announced.

Horvat, the 14th captain in Canucks franchise history, had to swap from his familiar No. 53 because it’s currently worn by New York forward Casey Cizikas. The duo are two of 13 players in the NHL to sport the digits this season.

Horvat will join the likes of Bob Bourne, Ron Sutter, Chris Ferraro, Tom Chorske, and Thomas Hickey as Islanders to sport No. 14.

The 27-year-old had worn the No. 53 digits throughout his nine-year, 621-game career, but that’ll change after he was swapped to the Islanders in exchange for Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Raty, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft in a Monday stunner.

Horvat had served as captain in Vancouver for four seasons.

He said he thought he was “going to be a Canuck for life.”

“I’m not going to lie, in the summertime and even at the beginning of the year, I honestly thought I was going to be a Canuck,” Horvat told media in an emotional farewell to Vancouver. “Things didn’t work out that way.”

“I can’t say enough about the fans and the province of BC and all of the unbelievable people that I’ve met in my time in Vancouver. I’m getting emotional here. It’s a tough goodbye.”

Horvat is expected to debut the new number on Monday, February 6 when he makes his Islanders debut on the road against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Canucks fans won’t have to wait to get an up-close glimpse at the back of the No. 9 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, either. The Islanders visit Rogers Arena on Thursday, February 9.

Aaron VickersAaron Vickers

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