Islanders Extend Horvat & Start Building Core: Is It the Right Move?
The New York Islanders extended All-Star center Bo Horvat just days after acquiring him for a large haul that included Anthony Beauvillier and top prospect Aatu Raty to make him the second-highest-paid player on the team. With an $8.5 average annual value (AAV) that starts next season, only Mathew Barzal, whose AAV will be $9.1 Million, will earn more than Horvat. The extension notably makes Horvat one of the building blocks of the Islanders’ roster for the foreseeable future. The Islanders have four players under contract, with Barzal, Adam Pelech, and Ryan Pulock all signed to extensions. Presumably, All-Star goaltender…