Bo Horvat is officially the new captain for the Islanders, stepping into Anders Lee’s skates. It’s a huge move for the Isles, and Horvat himself called it an honor, even giving a shout-out to Lee. Head Coach Pete DeBoer seemed pretty chill about the whole thing, saying it was a “fairly easy decision.” Apparently, both Horvat and DeBoer are stoked to have Tony DeAngelo back on the squad too.
Islanders Prospects and Fan Hopes
Before the big captaincy announcement, the Islanders’ prospect camp saw their second scrimmage against the Devils’ crew end in a shootout loss. Not ideal, but Cole Eiserman did net another goal, thanks to a sweet feed from Victor Eklund. These young guns are showing flashes, right? And off the ice, the team’s annual golf outing pulled in a cool $800k, with Matthew Schaefer apparently getting a good tour of the course. Schaefer also confirmed he’s staying at the Martin household for now, which is kinda funny. With the new captain and all, some Islanders fans are already feeling super optimistic about a playoff birth this season. You love to see that energy.
Around the League: Big Deals and Big Names
It wasn’t just Islanders news making waves around the league. Before the new CBA kicked in, we saw some huge deals drop. The Ducks finally got Cutter Gauthier locked down for six years, $81 million, which is a $13.5 AAV. That’s a massive commitment, with $69.5 million of it in signing bonuses. Then you had the Senators giving Drake Batherson an eight-year deal at a $10.75M AAV. Talk about securing your talent. And speaking of talent, Eklund, who set up that goal for Eiserman, is among 21 rookies who could crack NHL rosters this year. On a different note, Alex Ovechkin was seen among a big group supporting Putin in the Russian “elections,” and the Capitals put out a carefully worded statement hinting he just wants to retire back in Russia. And finally, the Blackhawks named Connor Bedard captain, putting him in some legendary company with Brent Sutter and other great players.
With Horvat taking the reins for the Islanders, and fans already dreaming of a playoff spot, it’s gonna be wild to see what this new season brings. Gotta love early season vibes when anything feels possible.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Lighthouse Hockey.
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