With a win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night, head coach Patrick Roy earned his second victory behind the New York Islanders’ bench. And while he’s only five games into his new tenure, the Hall of Famer has already taken a liking to a few of his players, including former Vancouver Canucks forward Bo Horvat.
Horvat went toe-to-toe with Toronto tough guy Simon Benoit after the Leafs defender attempted to lay out Mat Barzal with a big hit. Coming to the defence of his teammate, Horvat did not hesitate to drop the gloves.
“In life you have a chance you can be an eagle or a duck. He was an eagle there.” 🦅🦆
-Islanders’ Head Coach Patrick Roy on Bo Horvat dropping the gloves for teammate Mat Barzal@NYIslanders | #Isles pic.twitter.com/yhVy7dQlaw
— Isles on MSGSN (@IslesMSGN) February 6, 2024
“This who he is. He’s a leader on this team,” Roy said of the ex-Canucks captain after the game. “Leaders always take care of their teammates.”
While his response to the incident was brief, Roy, who was hired by Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello on January 20, made sure to include a unique expression in his assessment of Horvat’s actions.
“In life, you have a chance. You could be an eagle or duck — he was an eagle.”
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Like an eagle, the 28-year-old, amid his first full season in Long Island, has been soaring as of late, netting 20 goals and 45 points over 49 games, putting him on pace for the most productive campaign of his career.
Before he was traded by the Canucks in a blockbuster deal last January, Horvat’s best season came back in 2018-19, when he scored 27 goals and 61 points over an 82-game span.