Is Bo Horvat playing tonight against Winnipeg Jets? | February 22, 2023 | 2022-23 NHL Season

The New York Islanders will face off against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday (February 22) night at the UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. Their newest acquisition Bo Horvat will be available to take part. The Islanders are coming off a 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins and will look to continue their winning run.

Horvat has played eight games for the Islanders this season after arriving from the Vancouver Canucks. He has had a slow start to his Islander career but is averaging 21:29 minutes on the ice and has six points from four goals and two assists.

Although he might not be big in the points section, his presence on the ice creates a lot of space for the Islanders.

The Vancouver Canucks and the New York Islanders were the first to make moves before the Mar. 3 trade deadline. The Canucks received a first-round pick, Aatu Raty and Anthony Beauvillier, in exchange for their superstar captain.

Just a week after being traded to Long Island, the New York Islanders signed Bo Horvat on a massive eight-year, $68 million deal on Feb. 5.

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Can Bo Horvat step up for injury-plagued Islanders?

The Islanders have been plagued by injuries to their offense this season. They currently have five injured forwards and have had to call up players from their bench and the AHL to fill in.

Jos Bailey has been out for the last two games with an upper body injury. His status is day-to-day, so he may play against the Jets. Before his injury, Bailey had 21 points from six goals and 15 assists in 54 games this season.

Matthew Barzal is the second-highest scorer for the Islanders with 51 points. He suffered a lower body injury against the Boston Bruins and has been ruled out indefinitely. An update on his condition is expected on Mar. 7.

Another player on the list of injured forwards is Jean-Gabriel Pageau. The 30-year-old has been out for almost two weeks with an upper body injury and was placed on injured reserve on Thursday (Feb. 16). Pageau has contributed 29 points this season, from ten goals and 19 assists in 56 games.

Bo Horvat stepped up against the Penguins, scoring a goal and bagging a secondary assist on Anders Lee's goal. If the Penguins want to compete for one of the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference, Horvat will have to bring back his 2018-19 regular season form.