Saturday: The Islanders officially announced (Twitter link) that Ho-Sang has been loaned to Orebro.
Friday: After not being invited to training camp and clearing waivers, Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang has a place to play this season but it’s not New York’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. Instead, the team has loaned him to Orebro of the SHL, reports Arthur Staple of The Athletic (Twitter link). The agreement will be in place for the duration of the season overseas although Ho-Sang will be eligible to return to North America after the SHL playoffs are finished.
It has been a rocky road for the 24-year-old to say the least. While he was a quality offensive player back in junior, it has failed to materialize into success at the professional level. He has just 53 career NHL games under his belt where he has seven goals and 17 assists and after clearing waivers last year, he held out of reporting to the minors in the hopes of forcing a trade. That didn’t occur and he eventually reported to the Sound Tigers before being flipped to San Antonio before the AHL trade deadline in a move that was believed to end his tenure with the Islanders.
Clearly that didn’t happen as the team tendered Ho-Sang a qualifying offer and avoided arbitration in late-October with a one-year, two-way deal worth $700K in the NHL and $225K in the minors. With both sides agreeing already that it’s better for him to not be around the team, it’s hard to imagine there will be another contract for him with the Isles beyond this one.
At this point, retaining his rights, just feels vindictive by the Islanders.
I know this kid has an awful attitude but I don’t understand the islanders in this situation now, why are you tendering someone you have basically told will never play for you, if I were a free agent I would steer clear of an organization that acts like a mad 16 year old whose parents are millionaires
These “we’re going to teach you a lesson” moments rarely work out as planned. Ho-Sang’s attitude can’t possibly get better, and NYI seems to be in “countdown to UFA” mode for him. Nobody wins…
Trade him? He has cleared waivers twice. Release him? All they had to do was NOT offer him a qualifying offer in the offseason and he would have been a UFA.
@windmill_noise_causes_cancer – “All they had to do was NOT offer him a qualifying offer in the offseason and he would have been a UFA.” True! Now, what are the odds that Lou explains why he didn’t do that? Don’t want him, can’t trade him (no takers), won’t develop him, so ship him off to the SHL? Just don’t give him a Q.O. and be done with him… If the rest of the league thinks he’s toxic, then he’ll end up somewhere on the European Tour.
Cautionary tale for any others who might get too big for their britches