New York Islanders Josh Ho-Sang Trade Best Shot at NHL Career

Josh Ho-Sang is open to being traded by the New York Islanders. It’s a good thing he’s made peace with that possibility because it’s likely his best shot at making the NHL sooner rather than later.

Speaking with The Athletic’s Arthur Staple (subscription required), New York Islanders Josh Ho-Sang was once again candid on the record. This time about the possibility that he might be traded by the end of the trade deadline.

With the Islanders hunting for big game at the trade deadline, it’s clear that they’ll have to dip into their healthy farm system to give teams equal value for a star player in return. Josh Ho-Sang is one of those players.

In 53 career NHL games over the last three season, Josh Ho-Sang has 24 points to his name. He’s an offensively gifted player that makes those around him better. Unfortunately, his defensive deficiencies have prevented him from making the jump to the NHL.

A trade to another team is the best solution to get his NHL career on track.

Trade Is For The Best

Josh Ho-Sang told Arthur Staple, that he wants to play in the NHL and that he’d be fine with a trade from the New York Islanders if it meant it could help the team.

"For them, if they need to trade me for pieces to go further in the playoffs, improve the great team they have, then I’m all for it. I support any decision that Lou (Lamoriello) makes."

It’s clear that Josh Ho-Sang is superfluous to requirements with the New York Islanders. They know what he can (and can’t) give them and they don’t have a place for it on the roster.

Josh Ho-Sang is still young at 23-years-old, but he’s ready for the NHL. In any other situation, he’d be out there on a nightly basis in some teams top six. But for the Islanders, he’s still playing the AHL.

It just hasn’t gone according to plan for Josh Ho-Sang, and a move elsewhere is the best case scenario for him and his NHL career. You can tell he knows that in what he said to Arthur Staple.

It’s not to say that he’s a blameless victim of poor management. Josh Ho-Sang is equally responsible for the direction his career has taken since being drafted in the first round (28th overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft.

Sleeping in on the first day of training camp, speaking out of turn, or just generally not following what the organization wants from him. These are all issues that were well within his control.

Again, the New York Islanders are just as responsible for Ho-Sang still playing AHL hockey at the moment. They haven’t taken the time to coach him the way he needs to be coached, and have taken an almost adversarial approach in trying to develop him.

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Another team will see the value of having Josh Ho-Sang on their roster. He’ll get his shot at the NHL with another team. Hopefully, he’ll have learnt something in his time here that can help him be the player he believes he can be.