New York Islanders Josh Ho-Sang Skills Compared to Connor McDavid

One of Josh Ho-Sang’s former coaches recently compared the New York Islanders prospect’s individual skills to that of Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid.

Being compared to Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid is an honor for anyone. But one of New York Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang’s former coaches went a step further and indicated that when he was coaching both Ho-Sang and McDavid, that Ho-Sang had more individual skill than McDavid.

In a great piece by Arthur Staple for The Atheltic (subscription required), a number of Josh Ho-Sang’s former coaches talk about the Islanders former first-round pick to figure out what to expect from Josh Ho-Sang going forward.

That’s when Toronto Marlboros coach Ken Strong said that in his opinion, Josh Ho-Sang had more individual talent than Connor McDavid.

Just Want Him To Succeed

For years we’ve heard that New York Islanders prospect Josh Ho-Sang is a supremely skilled individual. It’s why the New York Islanders drafted him 28th overall in the 2014 NHL draft.

The Islanders saw the chance to draft a talented player and GM Garth Snow took the chance. And ever since that date we’ve been confused and frustrated by Josh Ho-Sang. We hear the stories that he’s got incredible talent – like this one from Stron- but then he just can’t seem to get it together to make the NHL.

All of that talent is being wasted playing in the AHL.

Josh Ho-Sang famously said – after being drafted 28th overall rather than earlier in the first round – he’d be the best player in his draft class in three years time. Well, it’s been five years since his draft and he’s barely featured in the NHL.

This has to be the year for Josh Ho-Sang.

The New York Islanders have a desperate need to add a top-six forward on the right side of their offense. A player with Josh ho-Sang’s reputed skills is exactly what the New York Islanders need.

The only natural right-wing players the Islanders have on the roster are Jordan Eberle and Cal Clutterbuck. Only one belongs in the top-six. That leaves an opening for Josh Ho-Sang (should he prove he deserves it) to play alongside Brock Nelson.

We saw just how effective a Nelson-Ho-Sang pairing can be offensively with that short experiment under Doug Weight a few years ago.

The presence of mind from Ho-Sang to first hold up the defender, see the rush from nelson and then precision to feed that pass through two defenders sticks is incredible.

It’s In His Court Now

Josh Ho-Sang has got to find a way to make this work. I want to see this player with more individual skill in the NHL. Even if that means he sacrifices some of that skill to make him a better all-around player.

He’s got the right to feel frustrated about the way things have gone in his career so far. Both he and the organization have made som missteps to date. But he’s got an outstanding opportunity to put that all to rest and take a step forward.

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He’s going to have to prove to the organization that he deserves that chance this year. The ball is firmly in his court. Josh Ho-Sang has to take this opportunity with the New York Islanders and run with it.