New York Islanders: Josh Ho-Sang has 2 assists in first line stint

After being moved up to the top line, Josh Ho-Sang responded with two points for the New York Islanders AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

The New York Islanders were off last night but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a huge storyline going into last night. For the first time after is public comments about his role with the team, Josh Ho-Sang played on the top line.

He joined Michael Dal Colle and Connor Jones to round out the top unit for Bridgeport. Ho-Sang was specifically critical of him playing in a bottom six role when he is a top-six forward prospect.

Last night, he proved why he is, in fact, a top-six prospect with two assists on the night.

Devon Toews got a power-play goal 7:48 into the second period. Josh Ho-Sang fed Toews with a saucer pass in the slot and Toews was able to put it top shelf to tie up the game at one. After being down by two goals early in the third, the Sound Tigers responded again.

Steve Bernier netted his sixth of the year with a goal at the 6:47 mark of the third period. Ho-Sang sent a pass to St. Denis who sent one towards the goal that Bernier deflected into the net.

Now, after 10 games played Josh Ho-Sang has six points (all assists). He’s on a .60 points per game pace. They play 76 games a season in the A so it would put him on a pace of 46 points over the full year if he keeps this up.

It’s really not much of a surprise that Josh Ho-Sang is producing offensively. Even in his stints in the NHL he’s been a productive forward. He has 43 games under his belt at the NHL level and he has 22 points (6 goals, 16 assists) to his name. That’s a pace of 42 points over the course of a full 82 game season.

Right now, the Islanders are clicking so I don’t see Ho-Sang or Kieffer Bellows for that matter getting a call-up to the NHL anytime soon. But if Ho-Sang remains productive offensively he may force the Islanders hand, especially if a top-six player is injured or traded.

Josh is a talented kid, just because he doesn’t say the things that you would say doesn’t make him a bad hockey player. The Islanders would be silly to give up on him now when he’s so close to breaking through for the big club.