Islanders: Josh Ho-Sang agent provides update on KHL situation

The agent for New York Islanders prospect Josh Ho-Sang has weighed in on the rumor that his client has signed a one-year deal in the KHL.

Last we heard, New York Islanders prospect Josh Ho-Sang was headed to the KHL on a one-year deal. According to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta, Ho-Sang had agreed to go to Russia once he became an RFA.

With no team willing to take him for free when he was put on the waiver wire at the start of the 2019-20 and no team interested in trading for him leading up to the trade deadline, a move to the KHL seemed like a necessary move for the first-round pick at the 2014 draft.

But this week, Ho-Sang’s agent poured cold water on that rumor.

Rumor KO

On Sunday, Ho-Sang’s agent Patrick Bedell took to Twitter to squash any rumor that his client had signed a deal for the 2020-21 season.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he won’t sign. What it does mean is that the door to a possibility in North America is still open.

Josh Ho-Sang is a pending RFA. If the Islanders don’t give Ho-Sang a qualifying offer he will become an unrestricted free agent. It’s not unheard of for an NHL team to not tender a qualifying offer to an RFA. The Buffalo Sabres let Robin Lehner walk two years ago after not giving him a qualifying offer.

At the end of 2019-20, The Islanders also sent him to San Antonio to play rather than keep him in Bridgeport. You’d think the Isles might take the chance to break their bond and let Ho-Sang explore his options as a free agent.

But what opportunities he might have remain to be seen.

Again, Ho-Sang was available on the waiver wire and no-one took him. He was on the trade market for months and no-one wanted him. If a team wanted him, there was certainly a chance for them to pick him up for free or for very little.

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Even though things haven’t gone well for Josh Ho-Sang with the Islanders since being drafted 28th overall in 2014, it would still be surprising if the Isles allow him to walk. But the potential is certainly there for them to do so.

The Ho-Sang/Islanders saga certainly isn’t over just yet.