New York Islanders Power Play Could Use Josh Ho-Sang

The New York Islanders power play needs someone to help create goals. Calling up Josh Ho-Sang could give them someone who can give deliver the help they’ve been looking for.

A power play in the NHL is designed to give the offended team an incredible opportunity to score a goal. The New York Islanders have failed to capitalize on 35 of their last 36 opportunities over the last 15 games.

The Islanders power play ranks among one of the worst in the NHL with a 14.5 percent efficiency. Only the Nashville Predators (12.8 percent) and the Montreal Canadiens (12.6 percent) have a worse power play.

As they head towards the playoffs it’s not the time for the power play to go ice cold. The New York Islanders should call up Josh Ho-Sang to try and give them some life going forward and on the man advantage.

They Don’t Like, But They Should

It seems clear that there’s something the New York Islanders just don’t like in Josh Ho-Sang’s game. His turnover rate in the NHL is the one stats that his detractors constantly bring up.

To be fair, Josh Ho-Sang’s 49 giveaways in 53 games isn’t great. But that’s typically what happens with puck carriers. They have the puck so often that they lose it more frequently than others on the ice.

But with a coach of Barry Trotz’s experience and pedigree, Ho-Sang’s giveaway rate is something that Trotz should be able to work out of the 23-year-old. Especially considering what Ho-Sang can bring, not only at 5on5 but on the man advantage.

According to Evolving-Hockey.com, only three players have a higher (or equal) goals above replacement (on the power play) than Josh Ho-Sang. Those three players are Mathew Barzal (GAR=1), Jordan Eberle (GAR=0.8), and Josh Bailey (GAR=0.7).

Meaning Josh Ho-Sang would be a positive addition to the power play if you replaced anyone aside from the aforementioned three. Of course, a 0.7 GAR isn’t world-changing, but it’s better than most of what the Islanders currently have out on the power play.

And sure, Ho-Sang isn’t a shooter, he’s a pass-first player, but he’s an effective passer. He can move the puck around and pull defenders out of the way to allow for others to get the puck towards the net.

That movement is something that just doesn’t happen at the moment. Islanders attackers are typically stationary when moving the puck around the offensive zone on the power play. A strategy that gives penalty killers the best opportunity to take possession and clear the zone.

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If Barry Trotz is serious about wanting fans to stop booing an ineffective Islanders power play he should do something about it. Calling up Ho-Sang doesn’t fix the power play by itself, but calling him up along with a new offensive zone strategy the New York Islanders could find some success.