Horvat needed half a season to find his footing in the NHL.

After Horvat scored three goals in his first 32 games of the 2014-15 season, he scored 10 in his final 36, a feat made more impressive considering he was usually skating on the Vancouver Canucks' fourth line.

Selected by the Canucks with the No. 9 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft, Horvat injured his shoulder during the 2014 preseason and was sent to Utica of the American Hockey League for a conditioning stint. He returned to the Canucks to stay after five games.

He made his NHL debut Nov. 4, 2014, a 5-2 victory against the Colorado Avalanche, and scored his first NHL goal in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 20, 2014. A strong finish to his first season spilled over into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the center tied for the Canucks lead with four points during a six-game loss to the Calgary Flames in the first round.

Horvat was more impressive in his second season, finishing third on Vancouver in goals (16) and points (40). He played in the 2017 Honda NHL All-Star Game and ended the season with 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists). He signed a six-year contract with the Canucks on Sept. 8, 2017 and the following season was named one of four alternate captains after the retirement of Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin. He had 27 goals, 34 assists and 61 points, and was named the Canucks' 14th captain Oct. 9, 2019. Horvat held the position until he was traded to the New York Islanders on Jan. 30, 2023, for forwards Anthony Beauvillier and Aatu Raty, and a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Six days later, Horvat signed an eight-year contract with New York. He was named to Team Canada's roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 after leading the Islanders with 21 goals and 33 points through 35 games of the 2025-26 season en route to an Olympic silver medal. He previously represented Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, where he had eight points (four goals, four assists) before an injury prematurely ended his tournament.

Four seasons before the trade, Horvat helped the Canucks qualify for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and advance to Game 7 of the Western Conference Second Round. His 10 goals were the third-highest in a playoff year in team history behind Pavel Bure (16) and Trevor Linden (12) in 1994, when Vancouver lost the Stanley Cup Final in seven games to the New York Rangers.

Horvat scored his 100th NHL goal in a 3-2 win against the Rangers on Oct. 20, 2019. Two days later, he scored his first NHL hat trick in a 5-2 victory against the Detroit Red Wings.

A native of London, Ontario, Horvat played three seasons with his hometown London in the Ontario Hockey League. He won the OHL title twice and made three trips to the Memorial Cup tournament.

There would be no championship, but in Horvat's rookie season in 2011-12, London advanced to the tournament final, and lost to Shawinigan 2-1 in overtime.

Horvat scored a league-leading 16 goals in 21 playoff games in 2013, when London won the OHL title and he received the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as playoff MVP.