Bo Horvat
ON-ICE VALUE
Top-Six Center
STRENGTHS
Finish: Horvat shoots from dangerous areas and unsurprisingly scores at a solid clip. He’s happy to clean up the trash in front and has a deceptively quick release on the rush. He’s also become a legitimate bumper threat on the power play, picking corners off quick passes from the half-boards or goal line.
Offensive Instincts: He boasts the vision and passing touch to provide his teammates with a number of quality setups. He also shows a great understanding of when to attack defenders in one-on-one situations, lulling them to sleep before slipping past or through them.
Strength: He carries a thick 6’0”, 215-pound frame. While he isn’t quite a bull in a china shop, he can certainly hold his own in the trenches. He’s effective along the wall and difficult to contain in the slot. When he does throw his weight around, he can truck opponents.
WEAKNESSES
Defense: Though he was cast as a shutdown center early in his career, he lacks the attention to detail to fill that role. He often drifts out of position or loses his man while puck-watching. You can depend on Horvat to give an honest three-zone effort, but he isn’t smothering any star forward.
Play-Driving: Horvat is a stud in the trenches. Everywhere else, he’s an average center who doesn’t control much of the action. He doesn’t excel in transition and concedes too much time and space to puck-carriers in the neutral zone. The play is usually tilted toward his net.
