New York Islanders Need to Play Josh Ho-Sang to Trade Him

It’s been nearly three weeks since Josh Ho-Sang asked the New York Islanders to trade him. What exactly is the plan here?

Just before the NHL season started on October 2nd, the New York Islanders trimmed down their roster to 23 men by re-assigning Joshua Ho-Sang, Thomas Hickey and Tanner Fritz to the AHL. That’s when Josh Ho-Sang asked the team to trade him.

As Lou Lamoriello worked the phones to try and trade the former first-round pick, he asked that Josh Ho-Sang not report to Bridgeport

“for a few days”.

That was almost three weeks ago now. What’s the plan here exactly?

Figure It Out!

It’s clear that a trade is in the best interest of both parties. Josh Ho-Sang needs a new start in a new environment, and the New York Islanders need an asset that they can use.

But it’s been three weeks and there hasn’t been a trade nor has Ho-Sang reported to Bridgeport yet. If this divorce is so mutually beneficial, why hasn’t it happened yet?

It’s fair to say that Josh Ho-Sang’s trade value wasn’t particularly high before his demotion to the AHL. The controversial winger has had a complicated and dramatic history with the Islanders ever since they drafted him 28th overall in 2014.

But sitting at home not playing hockey isn’t going to make this situation any better. Whatever value Josh Ho-Sang had before the trade request, it has almost certainly vanished since.

Both sides are missing out right now. For Josh Ho-Sang it’s seeing a very real opportunity to play in the NHL go to Oliver Wahlstrom. For the New York Islanders, it’s having a first-round pick from five years ago doing absolutely nothing.

Both sides need to come together and formulate a plan on how to rectify this situation. At this point, both sides are playing a game of chicken by using the only leverage they have over the other. For Ho-Sang, it’s the trade request. For the Islanders, it’s making him sit.

Neither approach is working.

Ideally, they both agree that revoking the trade request is the first step. It’s the only way to go forward. Revoking the request will allow the Islanders to let Ho-Sang return to the Sound Tigers and save face.

Once on the ice, Ho-Sang can continue to produce at the AHL and increase his trade value to the point where a trade can actually be made.

Just because a trade request was made doesn’t mean that all value is lost. Jonathan Drouin still got traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning after he withdrew his trade request. Once Drouin was playing at the AHL level, teams could see his value.

The same can be said for Jesse Puljujarvi. The former fourth overall pick from 2016 has asked that the Edmonton Oilers trade him. He’s currently in Finland playing for Karpat. In 13 games he has 13 points. Playing and producing is the only way to get the interest of another NHL team.

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What’s important for Josh Ho-Sang, and the New York Islanders, is that Ho-Sang gets back on the ice. It’s the only way this divorce can happen. But before that can take place, both sides have to come to their senses and formulate a strategy.