# New York Islanders leadership and early season performance

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/new-york-islanders-leadership-and-early-season-performance
> Updated: 2026-10-09T02:46:02.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2.

In September 2026, the New York Islanders named forward Bo Horvat as the 16th captain in franchise history. Horvat, 31, assumed the role following the departure of Anders Lee to the Utah Mammoth.

By October, the team recorded a 4-1 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks, bringing their early-season record to 2-2. Horvat contributed two goals during the match. The game was marked by defensive adjustments following a season-ending injury to Alex Romanov, as well as disciplinary incidents including a match penalty for Chicago’s Frank Nazar for a hit on Horvat.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-09: New York Islanders defeat Chicago Blackhawks 4-1

The New York Islanders defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1, led by two goals from Bo Horvat and a strong defensive performance following recent roster injuries.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/new-york-islanders-defeat-chicago-blackhawks-4-1

### 2026-09-14: Bo Horvat named captain of the New York Islanders

The New York Islanders have named Bo Horvat as their new captain, following Anders Lee's departure to the Utah Mammoth.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bo-horvat-named-captain-of-the-new-york-islanders

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Cite as: New York Islanders leadership and early season performance. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/new-york-islanders-leadership-and-early-season-performance