New York Islanders Should Move On From Josh Ho-Sang

There isn’t a good reason to have New York Islanders rookie Josh Ho-Sang sitting in the AHL at the moment. The Islanders can use help throughout the roster and playing in the AHL isn’t helping anyone. Just end the charade and move him.

Josh Ho-Sang deservedly made the New York Islanders right out of training camp this season. After an outstanding showcase at the end of the 2016-17 season, Ho-Sang continued his upwards trajectory.

That ended after 22 games when Josh Ho-Sang was sent down to the AHL to work on “things”. We still aren’t sure if he was being sent down for attitude issues or because he turned the puck over one too many. The later seems like the likely scenario. It was absurd then, and its still absurd now.

The fact that Ho-Sang is still having to earn his stripes and pay his dues at the AHL level is a direct indictment of this franchise’s ability to develop players. But here we are in March, the Islanders are struggling and Ho-Sang is still in the AHL.

Yes, I know the defense needs to be addressed. But I’m convinced that the issue with the Islanders defense isn’t a personnel issue but a structural one. And that can, and should be addressed via the coaching staff.

While the team’s defense needs to be sorted out so does its depth scoring. Eyes On Isles co-Expert Matt O’Leary wrote this Saturday just how barren the Isles depth scoring is at the moment. Josh Ho-Sang could help in that department if the Islanders wanted him.

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At this point, it’s fair to say that the New York Islanders, as an organization, aren’t sold on the “Josh Ho-Sang” experience. For whatever reason. Whether they have an issue with his attitude or his style of play. The issue is there and it doesn’t seem reconcilable right now.

With the way the Islanders secondary scoring has evaporated at this point in the season, it seems like the perfect time to get Josh Ho-Sang in the lineup. We’ve seen what this kid can do at the NHL level, yet there he is still playing in Bridgeport.

We’ve seen how this plays out before. We’ve seen the Nino Niederreiter situation about five years ago. We know what happens with promising prospects in this organization.

So before it comes to a trade request. Before it comes to a bigger issue then it already is. Before his trade value is virtually nothing. Try and move him. It won’t happen now. Because, well, the trade deadline is over.

But at the draft. Just get a good return on the promise of Josh Ho-Sang and let’s all be done with the dance of will-he/won’t-he play for the Islanders some day.

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I think Josh Ho-Sang is an excellent player with a good NHL career ahead of him. Somewhere else. He’s clearly in an environment that isn’t suited for him, or that doesn’t want to suit him.