Horvat is one of the draft’s top two-way threats. He digs his skates into the ice and pushes off real hard, each stride digging harder into the ice. He gets real low and can generate good speed. When he gets going, he’s a steam engine, hard to push off the puck and determined to take the puck where he wants it. Horvat doesn’t wow a crowd with his hands but shows very nice power cuts through traffic and around defenders for scoring opportunities. He anticipates well and makes good reads with the puck when dishing. He’s not a traditional playmaker, but makes quick reads and crisp passes. When given the chance, he dis- plays a hard shot with some good accuracy. He digs in low and while it’s not an overly quick release, he can get the puck where he wants it and is effective from in tight, lifting the puck up. His ability to nd soft spots in coverage, get himself open and get a quality shot off is one of the most underrated aspects to his game. His one-timer — once he gets open — is very quick. On the other side of the puck he anticipates the opponent’s next move well and hounds them, using his strength to outmuscle and create turnovers. He has the ability to shield the puck and hold off a defender, is hard to knock off stride as he goes to the net. He’s not a traditional power forward, but has some physical tendencies of one. He is a smart player, knowing where to go with or without the puck. In conjunction with this, he’s a natural born leader and potential captain. He has a very active stick that he uses to deflect pucks and consistently pays the price to block shots no matter the risk. A team-first player. (May 2013)