Personally and professionally, Bo Horvat is loving life on Long Island, N.Y.

Once a month, Bo Horvat and his wife Holly take the train from his home in Manhasset, N.Y. into Manhattan.

It’s one of the perks of living and playing for the New York Islanders.

“We go in for a show or dinner or anything like that,” said Horvat. “It’s nice to take a forty minute train ride right downtown. So it's pretty cool to have that type of city so close with basically anything that you want to do and to know we're pretty lucky and fortunate that way.”

It’s been just over a year since Horvat and his family moved from Vancouver, B.C. to Long Island, N.Y.

It took a while for him to adjust to life on and off the ice on the east coast, but he’s settled into a great place now.

“We bought a house and are settled down in Long Island now and everybody's got their routines,” said Horvat. “I'm feeling more comfortable with my teammates and with everything going on.”

The Rodney, Ont. native is in his 10th NHL season and he’s now putting up the kinds of numbers the Islanders imagined when they made the trade with Vancouver last year.

He’s scored 22 goals, and is on pace to set a career high in points. That included scoring a goal in the Stadium Series outdoor game this week at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey.

Bo Horvat (right) is presented the Wayne Gretzky Trophy as OHL Playoff MVP by Commissioner David Branch in 2013. (Source: CHL Images)

"Playing in front of that many people - there was almost 80,000 people there - was one of those things where it's kind of once in a lifetime,” said Horvat. “I tried to soak it all in and it was pretty cool to be a part of that.”

Now living much closer to home, his parents are just a one-hour flight, or ten-hour drive away.

They have visited a few times and got a chance to attend the outdoor game.

“I was actually talking to Bo and I said, ‘You know Bo, it’s still really humbling to watch you,’” said Tim Horvat, Bo’s dad. “I still get thrills watching him in warm up and I pinch myself thinking there are 380 players in the world to play in the National Hockey League and he's one of them."

Horvat’s journey to the pro’s started in West Lorne with the Comets. He then went on to play for the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs. At the age of 11, he started playing for the Toronto Jr. Red Wings.

Bo Horvat began his hockey career playing for the West Lorne Comets. (Source: Submitted)

“We drove him back and forth, believe it or not, four times a week to Toronto to his practices and all his games,” said Tim. “The next year, it was just too much and he actually went and lived in Toronto. He was 12 years old and he lived there for two years and he really grew up.”

Tim said the family took a lot of heat about having their son move away at such a young age, but he believes that’s where his son got the mental toughness he has carried through his life.

“He had to he live with another family, and he had to grow up in a hurry,” said Tim. “To this day, he thought it really helped him.”

He returned to the Chiefs after two seasons, and won a GOJHL Championship with St. Thomas playing for his uncle Ron Horvat. He was then drafted into the OHL with the London Knights where he scored one of the most famous goals in franchise history.

In the 2013 playoffs, he scored with 0.1 seconds left on the clock in game seven of the OHL Final, clinching the title and winning playoff MVP.

“It's pretty crazy how it just flies by, and I mean that's sad to think about be honest with you,” said Horvat. “I’ve had so many great moments, and people helping me along the way.”

After being traded by Vancouver, he signed with the Islanders through 2031. There is a good chance he’ll finish his career with the organization, which is great as his family loves their new home.

“It’s a world-class organization,” said Bo. “They treat you with all types of respect and it's been awesome so far. My family is really happy, and now we just have to string some wins together here to make the playoffs.”

Personally and professionally, Bo and the Islanders seem like a perfect match.