![\"Bo](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/USATSI_21905759-scaled.jpg\" "\\"Islanders'")
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Bo Horvat Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n
The last time Bo Horvat spoke to amNewYork about potentially making the legendary Team Canada roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics, he said he was willing to do \u201canything\u201d to be part of the festivities in Milan-Cortina.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care. I\u2019ll fill water bottles,\u201d he said in our exclusive conversation<\/a> back in December. \u201cI\u2019ll accept any role.\u201d<\/p>\n The New York Islanders\u2019 star forward won\u2019t be working with water bottles or gear. Instead, he is slated to center Canada\u2019s fourth line for their Olympic opener on Thursday against Czechia \u2014 a lifelong dream on the cusp of being realized.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs a kid, you always wanted to represent your country and wear that Canadian flag,\u201d Horvat said just before joining his temporary, star-studded squad in Italy. \u201cAny time at the World Juniors or the World Championships, to represent your country is always special. But to do it on this stage, it\u2019s more than I could ever dream of.\u201d<\/p>\n The 30-year-old\u2019s all-around game made him a must-have on Jon Cooper\u2019s Canadian roster. Not only does he have 24 goals in 44 games, but he has won 56.3% of his face-offs, plays a sound defensive game, and can play on both the penalty kill and power play.\u00a0And he still got the nod despite missing nine games last month due to injury.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted this bad. I wanted to represent my country,\u201d Horvat said. \u201cI wanted to wear the maple leaf. I was trying to do whatever I could to help the Islanders win, but also make it hard on [Team Canada] and make their decision tough, and make my stamp on what I could bring to Hockey Canada. Thankfully, it didn\u2019t go unnoticed.\u201d<\/p>\n During Canada\u2019s initial practices in Milan, Horvat was flanked by Tampa Bay Lightning star Brandon Hagel, who is on pace for 40 goals this season, and Florida Panthers two-time Stanley Cup winner Sam Reinhart, who has posted 82-game averages of 46.3 goals over the last three years.\u00a0<\/p>\n That is a testament to how loaded this roster is, which features the likes of Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar. The Canadians are significant favorites to win gold with this being the first Olympics<\/a> to feature NHL stars since 2014.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere are so many great hockey players in Canada, and I feel really honored and privileged to be a part of that roster,\u201d Horvat said. \u201cWhen you see that roster, and you see your name on it, it\u2019s kind of surreal. Now we have to go out there and prove [how good we are].\u201d<\/p>\n