There's no doubt the 2017 NHL All-Star final had a different cast of game-changing characters than most expected, with Wayne Simmonds skating away as MVP while Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin went pointless in the championship game. But no All-Star benefited more from the festivities than Vancouver Canucks pivot Bo Horvat.
The 21-year-old centerman arrived in Los Angeles as the least-hyped of the All-Star bunch by a mile. Amid crowds of future Hall of Famers, veteran scorers, and well-known young guns, it was pretty much Horvat and Frans Nielsen standing alone as question marks.
And the latter forward at least enjoyed a bit of heat for suiting up alongside former New York Islanders teammate Kyle Okposo, leaving Isles fans wallowing in disappointment about their lost talent.
However, instead of fading into the background and simply enjoying the bright lights of the All-Star weekend, Horvat lit it up for the Pacific Division crew, putting his name on the map in the process.
Related: Watch: Horvat scores slick goal for the Pacific
Horvat racked up two assists during the early goings of his squad's semifinal win over the Central Division, before impressing with a beautiful chip over Devan Dubnyk's shoulder late in the second period.
He scored the last of the Pacific's three goals in the final match as well, carrying the puck up ice with speed and working a tight cycle with Johnny Gaudreau before beating Sergei Bobrovsky, giving his team a 3-2 lead.
The impressive showcase won't land Horvat a slew of ritzy endorsement deals, but it undoubtedly gave the average hockey fan a reason to watch for the quickly-rising Canucks star.
That's fantastic news for Vancouver, because if there's one thing the team's been lacking, it's elite young star power.
Few expected Horvat to cause too much of a ruckus this season, but the 2013 ninth overall pick has upped his game and proven he can be a key piece for the franchise moving forward.
Through 50 appearances in 2016-17, he's put up a team-leading 14 goals and sits tied with captain Henrik Sedin for the team scoring lead with 32 points.
If his performance this weekend is any indication, that's only the tip of the iceberg for Horvat, as the former OHL standout made it clear he has enough skill to skate with the big boys.
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