New York Islanders Managing Expectations with Josh Ho-Sang

The New York Islanders have just called up Josh Ho-Sang from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and the team is already trying to manage expectations. They shouldn’t. They should let Ho-Sang play.

The New York Islanders have called up Josh Ho-Sang from the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. With 22 points in 26 games, Josh Ho-Sang is the exact offensive threat that the Islanders need at the moment.

Over the last ten games, the Islanders have scored just over two goals per game (2.1 to be exact) and have scored just a single power play goal on 23 opportunities for a four percent efficiency.

With that such a terrible offensive output recently you’d expect the Islanders to immediately insert Josh Ho-Sang into the team’s top six. That doesn’t seem to be the case.

Manage Your Expectations

It seems that Josh Ho-Sang was brought up to simply be a depth option for the Islanders. According to GM Lou Lamoriello, Josh Ho-Sang might not even play if everyone is healthy.

If Anders Lee and Tom Kuhnhackl are ready to go on Monday against the Penguins Josh Ho-Sang might very well be on the scratch pad or already on his way back to Bridgeport.

I understand that Lou Lamoriello is trying to manage our expectations with Josh Ho-Sang. He doesn’t want to feed into the fan mentality that has been craving for the offense Josh Ho-Sang brings since day one of the 2018-19 season.

But sitting Josh Ho-Sang out when the Isles offense is as weak as it is would be a wasted opportunity.

Wasted Opportunity

If the New York Islanders sit Ho-Sang they will have wasted a perfect opportunity to see what Josh Ho-Sang can bring and will have failed to give him that validation he clearly craves; validation that he’s an NHL caliber talent.

Lou Lamoriello should already have a good idea as to what he’s got on the roster. He’s had months to evaluate the 23 players on his active roster. Now that Josh Ho-Sang is here it’s time to learn what he’s got in the Isles first round pick (28th overall) from 2014.

I’m sure Lou Lamoriello gets detailed progress reports from Brent Thompson out in Bridgeport, but now he can assess what he’s been told first hand about Josh Ho-Sang at the NHL level.

Give Tom Kuhnhackl time to rest and recover by putting him on the scratch pad for Monday. It’s not like he’s generating very much offense. Over the last ten games, Kuhnhackl has a single point.

Put Anthony Beauvillier back alongside Valtteri Filppula and Leo Komarov and see what Josh Ho-Sang can do at the NHL level while playing in the top six. Don’t sit Ho-Sang in the press box or on the fourth line. Let him play.

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The New York Islanders have already sought to manage our expectations with Josh Ho-Sang’s call-up. But it would be a wasted opportunity if they kept him off the ice as they did with Michael Dal Colle.