The St. Louis Blues have been the subject of rumours for the last few weeks. Both have to do with upgrading at the centre position. It makes sense for the Blues to want to upgrade at centre. However, as the Blue Note explores its options, there is one centre they should avoid.
Blues Should Avoid Particular Centre
The centre the Blues should avoid is Bo Horvat of the New York Islanders. Horvat was acquired by the Islanders in 2023 and immediately signed an extension with the team. Horvat, an 11-year veteran, has scored 30+ goals four times. Last season, Horvat scored 28 goals and recorded 57 points in 81 games. Blues fans are aware of Horvat’s offensive capabilities. Horvat helped the Vancouver Canucks end the Blues championship defence in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Horvat set the tone for the series with four goals in the first two games, including an overtime-winning goal in Game 2. The offence Horvat demonstrated in 2020 has continued in his career. As such, he may seem like an attractive option for the Blues for their centre position. Furthermore, the Isles may be looking to shake up the roster under their new general manager .
However, the Blues should avoid Horvat. He may not be the answer the Blues are looking for.
Horvat is a Potential Locker Room Problem
Rocky Ending in Vancouver
Horvat was the Canucks captain. Alongside a supporting cast, the Canucks looked to contend. However, the organization decided to trade Horvat during the 2023 season. A team trading their captain is not unusual. There were multiple reasons the Canucks chose to trade Horvat. They were up against the salary cap and had just signed J.T. Miller to an extension . Additionally, the Canucks believed that trading Horvat would yield a larger return than trading Miller.
However, there were some tensions in the locker room between Horvat and Miller regarding how the team should be led. Evidently, the Canucks front office decided that the friction would not benefit the team in the long run. As a result, Horvat’s run in Vancouver ended early.
Are Things Better in Long Island?
A player being an issue in the locker room is not always a long-term problem. Blues fans may remember that David Perron had some issues in the locker room during his first stint with the Blues. However, as he matured as a hockey player, those issues began to disappear. Furthermore, Ryan O’Reilly supposedly had locker-room issues in Buffalo , but those never surfaced in St. Louis.
For Horvat, what happened in Vancouver would not matter if the issues stopped when he joined the Islanders. However, there may be some issues there as well. Horvat is at the beginning of an 8-year extension that he signed when he joined the Isles. The contract runs through the 2030-31 season. The Islanders may have a new general manager with his own ideas, but why would you consider trading a star who has just signed an extension and continues to produce? There may be something happening on Long Island that is not yet public knowledge.
If the Islanders are considering a trade to free up money, they could trade someone like Anders Lee and have an easier time moving that one-year contract. Moving Horvat is a tall order and not one that comes without a reason beyond the salary cap.
Do Not Do It, Doug
The idea of the Blues getting another elite centre to go alongside Robert Thomas is enticing. However, Horvat is not the answer. If general manager Doug Armstrong is looking, he needs to look elsewhere. Horvat is not the centre he is looking for.
Main Photo: Jeff Curry- Imagn Images
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