Welcome back to WDYTT, the only hockey column on the internet to never regret a headline.

Speaking of regret, it’s been hard not to feel at least a pang of it whilst watching Bo Horvat skate around in Islander orange.

No matter how one feels about the big trade or the circumstances under which it went down, there’s still got to be an element of sadness that all those plans of Vancouver competing during Horvat’s reign as captain have now officially come to fruition. It’s, at the very least, a little bit heartbreaking that someone who once seemed destined to be a career Canuck is now going to finish out his playing days in Long Island.

In other words, it’s as good a time as any to think about what might have been.

It’s also coming up on the one-year anniversary of the earliest moves made by the Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin managerial regime. They started their wheeling and dealing in March of 2022 with the trade that sent Travis Hamonic to Ottawa, and they’ve kept on wheeling and dealing ever since.

Now, any front office team is going to inevitably make some decisions that the local fanbase is going to dislike. And maybe that’s slightly more true of this front office than of most. All we’re really trying to say here is that, in the past calendar year, there have been some moves made that fans would probably choose to undo, if they could.

But what if it were just…one move?

This week, we’re giving you that power (and that limitation), and asking you:

Let it be known in the comment section.

 

You immediately reacted below!

My immediate reaction? It was inevitable, after last offseason.

Thanks , but no thanks!

Glad it happened, we need a desperate culture change. It starts with the Captain.

Thank god it wasn’t the Bruins. I could never cheer for Bo as a Bruin. But as an Islander: GO BO GO!!!

Like most trades for picks and young prospects, their success is unknown for some time. The optimistic are very pleased. The pessimistic, disappointed.

My immediate reaction? I am underwhelmed, but will withhold judgement as Raty and the pick have the potential for a big payoff. That payoff is in no way guaranteed, as Allvin might babble through another BPA diatribe after drafting another undersized winger.

From a longer-term perspective, I’m really pissed off management chose to prioritize Boeser and Miller ahead of Horvat. Had Boeser been moved last offseason, Horvat could have been re-signed at a very reasonable price before going on his 40+ goal pace. Horvat’s trade value with a fresh $7 mil contract would be substantially higher than as a rental.

At first blush, it was both a surprise and a relief. The surprise was Bo going to the NYI and the relief was we didn’t focus on a mid-20s reclamation project as the primary return. Both Raty and the pick have untapped potential, and point to building for the future. For a cap dump, Beauvillier isn’t that bad. His speed and tenacity at least bring a dimension the Canucks are lacking. Overall, definitely no “wow” factor, but a solid return with potential for much more.

Glad – something happened.

Sad – it was Bo.

Mad – it took so long (should have been Miller last year).

Bad – that all those obsolete #53 jerseys at the games will be a constant reminder.

They signed the wrong center last summer. They traded the wrong center now. If their objective was really a “retool,” that’s out the window at this point. You don’t easily replace centers of Bo’s skill and character. I’m very, very disappointed in this management team, especially after all the high hopes.

It wasn’t working with the current group and change was inevitable. Trading for futures kind of clouds the water a bit, but more change is coming and some will be for cap space, others for futures. As a fanbase, we know this is necessary and at least some of us can admit the new management may have a plan after all, even if we don’t like some of their choices.

When Miller was re-signed the die was cast.

Bo then increased his value, so the element of surprise at a sudden production increase won’t happen.

Hard to improve on what he has done this season already. So definitely selling high.

A reasonable return with the possibility of two young effective players (Raty and the pick), so an overall upgrade with Beauvillier thrown in as the free appetizer.

Considering the market, it’s not a bad trade. I still believe and a lot fans agree it should have been Miller moving, but that ship sailed. I’m hoping this won’t turn into a Messier fiasco.

Like the trade… Glad they did not re-sign Bo as the team needs change.

This trade was one of absolute necessity. You can’t ask for a complete culture change in the locker room, when the longest serving member and Captain is still there.

His tenure in Vancouver had run its course, and it’s time for a new voice, and a new leader to emerge.

If Bo had re-signed for a $64M contract or a more team-friendly one, is irrelevant. He had good nine-year run with this organization, but as the saying goes “all good things must come to an end.”

A better return than I had hoped for, mostly because the centerpieces are the pick and Raty. To get a potentially top-15 pick (and maybe more if it rolls over to next year and the Isles bottom out) while also acquiring a B+ prospect is way better than I think we might have expected from one of the top teams, who would never give up their top young talent and likely would’ve given us a top-25 pick instead. Love Bo as a player and person, but completely agree that they need to change out the culture of the locker room.

I was pleasantly surprised by the trade. Based on management’s comments about a quick retool, I thought they may opt for more NHL players than prioritizing the pick and Raty. Having said that, it’s entirely possible they flip that pick for a NHL defender.

Liked Bo as a person and community-engaged personality, as well as a player, and am sorry to see him go. Objectively, the team sold “high” on the best player they had to offer, so no shade there, IMHO. As stated by others, thank goodness it was a trade focused on the 3-5 year timeframe, not the immediate “quick fixes” of the last leadership group.