New York Islanders Josh Ho-Sang Should Use Frustration

New York Islanders polarizing forward Josh Ho-Sang was making headlines again. His comments don’t look great, but there’s only one way to make it better, up your game.

New York Islanders Josh Ho-Sang should feel frustrated. In recent comments to the New York Post, it seems like he is. Drafted in the first round of the 2014 NHL draft, Ho-Sang was a dynamic offensive talent then and is a dynamic offensive talent now. But four years after being drafted he’s still playing in the AHL.

With his skill and talent level, he feels he should be playing in the NHL. To a certain degree, he might have a point. In his 43 games at the NHL, Ho-Sang has scored 22 points and has the ability to become a solid top-six player in the NHL.

Offensively Ho-Sang has looked great, but the team had reservations then and now about his defensive abilities. What he does with the puck in terms of giveaways and without the puck hasn’t been up to the Islanders standards. That’s been the cause of constant frustration for Ho-Sang.

Use That Frustration

So when Josh Ho-Sang spoke to the New York Post about his 2018-19 season and playing in the AHL again, he did what Josh Ho-Sang does, he spoke honestly and candidly. The organization shouldn’t be upset about these comments, they should put it back to Josh and say: “What are you doing about it?”

Ho-Sang’s comments don’t look great. He’s essentially complaining about the fact that he’s playing in the AHL this season. He also essentially blames the organization for making it impossible for him to be on the team by how they built the roster. Again, there’s some truth to that last comment.

By bringing in guys like Valtteri Filppula, Leo Komarov, Tom Kuhnhackl, and Matt Martin, the roster was jam-packed with vets. Leaving no room for players like Josh Ho-Sang, or even Devon Toews to make the roster.

At this point, both Josh Ho-Sang and the organization are to blame for the situation that Josh Ho-Sang is in. They shouldn’t have sent him down last season, and they didn’t need to load up their roster with these bottom six vets.

But it’s not like Ho-Sang is proving his case either this season. I understand it must be frustrating for him to feel like his career is being stalled for no good reason. But with the clean slate he should have at this point and his understanding of what management is doing he has a responsibility to play himself onto the roster.

At the moment, with four points in nine AHL games, he isn’t quite doing that. Although then again, it’s not like Ho-Sang is getting the minutes or linemate support to put up big points. He isn’t in Bridgeport’s top-six at the moment, for whatever reason. So again, it’s hard to put this all on Ho-Sang.

Want your voice heard? Join the Eyes On Isles team!

Write for us!

If Josh Ho-Sang feels like his career is taking a direction it shouldn’t there’s only one thing he can do, and that’s to play himself onto the team. Even if he doesn’t ever want to play for the New York Islanders, showing his quality on the ice will increase his value and thus the number of suiters that may come calling for his services.