Josh Ho-Sang Contemplating Retirement
According to a report in Sport Express, former New York Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang is reportedly considering retirement and has informed his KHL club, Ufa Salavat Yulaev, that he is still talking to his family about a decision. Ho-Sang was a first-round pick of the Islanders in 2014 and was never able to establish himself as an NHL regular despite possessing a ton of offensive talent.
Ho-Sang signed in the KHL last year with Ufa and in his first game against SKA in September he had an assist. Unfortunately, in that same game, he was injured and missed the remainder of the regular season. He underwent surgery and returned to play in four playoff games, where he went scoreless.
The injury itself isn’t the issue holding up Ho-Sang’s return as according to David Alter of The Hockey News it is possible that Ho-Sang could return to the KHL, but if he were to do this, he would need to become a Russian citizen. While he hasn’t ruled this out, the Thornhill, Ontario native hasn’t said that he has an interest in doing this, which is likely the issue being discussed with his family at the moment.
According to Alter, Ufa Salavat Yulaev has prepared the paperwork for Ho-Sang to become a citizen, should he decide to return to the team this season.
Ho-Sang lasted played in North America with the Toronto Marlies in 2021-22. During his time in the AHL with Toronto, he posted 16 goals and 19 assists in 47 games.
Snapshots: Krebs, Robertson, Ho-Sang
As the Jack Eichel saga appears to potentially be nearing a conclusion, there’s now constant speculation about potential destinations and a potential return. While the Vegas Golden Knights have long been named as a potential suitor for Eichel, a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen says that the Knights view top prospect Peyton Krebs as untouchable in any Eichel deal. While the Golden Knights do still have some desirable young pieces available in a trade like defenseman Nicolas Hague, none have the potential upside of Krebs. If Vegas is to get an Eichel trade completed, they’ll likely have to give up a massive amount of draft capital in place of Krebs.
Other notes from around the NHL:
- Toronto Maple Leafs top prospect Nick Robertson suffered a lower-body injury in tonight’s match with the Toronto Marlies against the Manitoba Moose, per Marlies head coach Greg Moore. Moore notes the extent of the injury is unknown and that Robertson will be assessed tomorrow. It’s a tough blow to the Leafs organization, which is already dealing with significant injuries in all areas. It’s especially concerning considering Robertson missed the majority of last season due to a knee injury. Toronto undoubtedly hopes it’s not a major injury.
- Another Marlies forward is in some injury trouble as Moore also notes that Josh Ho-Sang was held out with a hip issue, but mostly as a precaution. Calling it a ‘maintenance day,’ it’s a smart choice on the Marlies to not risk any further injury. Ho-Sang will be one of the team’s most important contributors considering his NHL experience, and a notable injury setback could negatively affect his chances of getting an NHL contract with the Maple Leafs later this season.
Josh Ho-Sang Signs AHL Deal With Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies signed forward Josh Ho-Sang to an AHL contract Tuesday night, per NHL insider Chris Johnston. The move comes after the Toronto Maple Leafs released Ho-Sang from his professional tryout contract.
Ho-Sang joined the Leafs this offseason on a PTO after he was left unqualified by the New York Islanders. Ho-Sang had been in the Islanders organization since they drafted him 28th overall in 2014.
The 25-year-old forward spent last season on loan in Europe. In nine games in the Swedish Hockey League, Ho-Sang scored two goals and one assist for three points. He split time between Orebro HK and Linkoping HC.
Ho-Sang has gotten into 53 NHL contests so far in his career, all with the Islanders. He hasn’t played an NHL game since 2018-19, spending his time in the AHL and SHL since then.
A skilled playmaker, Ho-Sang hopes to revitalize his career in the Maple Leafs’ organization. He had a strong camp, notching multiple points in the preseason. He’ll now need to excel on the Marlies’ roster before proving he can make an impact again at the NHL level.
With Ho-Sang signing an AHL deal, he does not need to be placed on waivers to be assigned to the Marlies. Toronto can sign him to an NHL contract and bring him up to the Maple Leafs at any time, however, they will need to waive him in order to send him back to the AHL if they wish.
Minor Transactions: 02/14/21
Today is supposed to be about significant others, and the NHL did their part with just two games on the docket, but there are some significant moves worth paying attention to as well, both at home and abroad. Keep up with all of the day’s minor transactions right here:
- In some surprising news that will certainly require a follow-up, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers have released Nick Pastujov from his AHL contract, according to league’s transaction log. Pastujov, a New York Islanders 2016 draft pick, signed with Bridgeport this fall following a successful four-year stint at the University of Michigan. Although the Isles seemingly felt he was not ready for an entry-level contract, they wanted to keep the prospect winger within the organization. Yet, without having even played a game for the Sound Tigers, Pastujov has been released from the team. It is unclear whether this was his decision or if the move was prompted by the club. The oldest of three brothers, with Michael also at Michigan and Sasha bound for Notre Dame and looking like a potential first-round NHL draft pick, Nick looked primed to begin the Pastujov era in pro hockey. It will be interesting to see what comes next for the young forward.
- Another problem prospect for the Islanders, Joshua Ho-Sang is on the move again. Still technically under contract with New York, Ho-Sang was loaned to the SHL’s Orebro HK last month. After just five games – and one point – that relationship has already been terminated. Ho-Sang has now signed on with another Swedish club, Linkoping HC, hopefully for the rest of the season, the team announced. Ho-Sang will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season, but it seems unlikely that the Islanders will extend a qualifying offer.
- After bouncing around the AHL over the past few seasons, former Winnipeg Jets defenseman Julian Melchiori has found a home in Germany. Melchiori, who had played on an NHL contract in each of his first eight pro seasons, became an unrestricted free agent this off-season when his contract with the New Jersey Devils expired. Unable to find another NHL deal, Melchiori first signed in the KHL but terminated his deal in favor of a contract with the DEL’s Grizzlys Wolfsburg. Germany’s top league also had a delayed start to their season, but in just 15 games so far Melchiori has apparently impressed his new club and has enjoyed the fit himself. Wolfsburg has announced that the two sides have already agreed to a one-year extension. The team’s release called Melchiori a “leader” and “top performer” who “integrated very quickly”.
- Another former NHL defenseman, Marc-Andre Gragnani, has signed a new contract in Europe as well. Gragnani has inked a deal for the remainder of the SHL season with Djurgardens IF, the team announced. Since he last played in the NHL as a member of the New Jersey Devils in 2015-16, Gragnani has been stellar for the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk and Kunlun Red Star as one of the better offensive defensemen in the league. Even at 33, it would not be a surprise if Gragnani’s late signing this season was due to his desire to find a contract in the NHL. A journeyman in his North American days who was always far more effective in the AHL than the NHL, Gragnani no doubt has more confidence after several high-scoring seasons in Europe. He will have to re-focus now on helping his new Swedish club, as Djurgardens is still fighting for a playoff spot despite severely lacking talent on the blue line.
Islanders Loan Josh Ho-Sang To The SHL
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.
Josh Ho-Sang Avoids Arbitration
The New York Islanders and Josh Ho-Sang have avoided arbitration, signing a new one-year, two-way contract worth $700K at the NHL level according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Ho-Sang had a hearing scheduled for Friday, which will no longer be required.
Ho-Sang, 24, appeared to be heading toward a split with the Islanders after another testy season. He played only 16 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, requested a trade, and found himself sent nearly 2,000 miles away to San Antonio, loaned to the AHL’s Rampage. Even a qualifying offer was surprising, but the team obviously didn’t want to allow him to walk into unrestricted free agency without receiving any value back.
Now, on a two-way, league-minimum contract, Ho-Sang’s trade value may actually have crept high enough for something to get done. Teams around the league that need to fill out their lineup with cheap forwards could call the Islanders and give the talented offensive player a chance. While he certainly hasn’t proven anything to this point, Ho-Sang does have 24 points in 53 career NHL games and has always been able to contribute on the minor league powerplay.
The Islanders haven’t escaped arbitration completely just yet. The team still has a hearing with star defenseman Ryan Pulock scheduled for November 6, and also has a negotiation to complete with the ineligible Mathew Barzal.
Josh Ho-Sang Linked To KHL
Wednesday: Pagnotta updates the situation, reporting that Ho-Sang has agreed to a one-year deal with a KHL team for next season.
Tuesday: It hasn’t been a great start to Josh Ho-Sang’s professional career. While he was a strong producer in junior that helped him become a first-round pick in 2014 (28th overall), the Islanders prospect has struggled over the last few years. He was seeking a change of scenery earlier this season and with that not happening, he appears to be working on a change of his own as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports (Twitter link) that the winger is closing in on a KHL contract for next season with an undisclosed team.
The 24-year-old cleared waivers at the start of the season but refused to report to Bridgeport, the AHL affiliate of the Islanders. Instead, he went home to await a trade but one never materialized. He eventually reported back and got into 16 games with the Sound Tigers before being loaned to San Antonio, the AHL affiliate of St. Louis in late February where he suited up six times before the pandemic hit. His production wasn’t half bad over that stretch with four goals and nine assists in 22 games between the two teams.
Ho-Sang is slated to become a restricted free agent in October and while it seemed like he was heading for a guaranteed non-tender, a move overseas at this time might actually help keep him around with the Islanders. There would be minimal risk to qualifying him if he’s already suiting up in the KHL as they’d be able to retain his rights without any risk of him accepting the offer. If he plays well, it would give them the opportunity to try to bring him back down the road or trade his rights. Whether that happens or not, a move overseas would give Ho-Sang a chance to try to rebuild some value and give him the short-term change he has been looking for.
Josh Ho-Sang Loaned To San Antonio
It seems as though the awkward relationship between the New York Islanders and Joshua Ho-Sang is coming to an end, as today the team loaned the enigmatic forward to the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. Ho-Sang has played just 16 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, after sitting out the first part of the year demanding a trade.
With the loan, Ho-Sang remains under control of the Islanders for the rest of the season but will get a chance to play for a different organization down the stretch. A restricted free agent in the summer, he seems destined to either be traded or go unqualified.
If he has played his last game for the Islanders organization, it is a disappointing end for a young forward that showed so much promise. Selected 28th overall in 2014, Ho-Sang has routinely put up strong offensive numbers at any level. Even in his sporadic NHL appearances he has recorded 24 points in 53 games, but it looks now like he’ll have to try to restart his career somewhere else.
Now 24, it remains to be seen which organization will give him a chance this summer. For now, he’ll play for the Rampage and try to prove that he can still perform at a high level.
Trade Deadline Primer: New York Islanders
With the trade deadline now less than two weeks away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? Next up is a look at the New York Islanders.
The New York Islanders have posted almost exactly the same numbers that they had at this point a year ago. However, the difference this year that the competition in the Eastern Conference is quite a bit more challenging and leaves the Islanders barely holding onto a playoff spot at the moment. However, perhaps the most challenging issue facing the Islanders was the injury to defenseman Adam Pelech. The blueliner never got much attention when healthy, but the top-pairing defenseman is being sorely missed and with Barry Trotz‘ lack of faith in rookie Noah Dobson, the other five defenseman have been assuming extra minutes to fill in for Pelech, suggesting the team needs to add some help at that position in the next few days.
Record
33-18-6, third in the Metropolitan Division
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$23.849MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly
Upcoming Draft Picks
2020: NYI 1st, NYI 2nd, NYI 3rd, NYI 4th, NYI 5th, NYI 6th, NYI 7th
2021: NYI 1st, NYI 2nd, NYI 3rd, NYI 4th, NYI 5th, NYI 6th, NYI 7th
Trade Chips
With the team looking to make an impact in the playoffs, it’s unlikely that general manager Lou Lamoriello would consider moving any of his pending unrestricted free agents, which include forwards Matt Martin, Derick Brassard, Tom Kuhnhackl and goaltender Thomas Greiss. That doesn’t leave too many trade chips for the veteran GM to play with.
The team does have all of its draft picks for the next two years and might be willing to move a first or second-rounder to get a deal done and bring over some needed depth. Another key asset is the team’s cap space. They have more than $28MM in cap space, if they need it, and could use that to take on a significant contract from a cap-starved team for a price.
The team also has a large number of prospects coming up the system with many of them already in the AHL. While it’s unlikely that the team moves a top prospect, Trotz as well as Lamoriello, are well known for preferring veterans, which means they might not mind moving a prospect for a significant piece now and with the challenges of recruiting free agents to Long Island, they may have to include a young piece to acquire a player with term. A player like Kieffer Bellows, who was brought up recently likely to showcase his talents, could be an option if the price is right.
Another option would be finding a partner for embattled forward Joshua Ho-Sang. After demanding a trade and sitting out for two and a half months, the 24-year-old forward has played well since returning to the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers, scoring two goals and eight points in 12 games. Teams weren’t interested in H0-Sang when the team placed him on waivers, due to his well-known attitude issues, but a team might be willing to take a chance on him now just to see what he has left.
Five Players To Watch For: F Kieffer Bellows, F Michael Dal Colle, F Joshua Ho-Sang, F Tom Kuhnhackl, F Andrew Ladd
Team Needs
1) Veteran defense: With Pelech out and Dobson struggling in his rookie campaign, the Islanders are in desperate need of some veteran depth on their blueline and are extremely likely to add to that position before the trade deadline. While there are quite a few options available to Lamoriello, there are some obvious options, including a player that he is familiar with in Ottawa defenseman Ron Hainsey. With a group of young blueliners ready to step into their NHL lineup, Ottawa may be ready to move Hainsey.
2) Upgrade To Top-Six: While the team is well known for its defense, the Islanders could use an upgrade to their offense. New York has six solid players there, but adding some offense could allow the team to move some of those players to the third line, which hasn’t been that effective this season with the exception of Brassard. Again Lamoriello is quite familiar with Ilya Kovalchuk, who Montreal is considering moving, which might be a perfect fit with the Islanders. The team may also want to bring in a quality top-six player with term left who can be a significant long-term upgrade as well.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Snapshots: Hall, Ho-Sang, Raymond
The Taylor Hall saga is over for now, but given that only one team could secure the scoring winger there is sure to be fallout all around the league. Clubs that were hoping to land him will now have to move in a different direction, and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) examines seven of the suitors that had made inquiries over the last few weeks.
One of the most interesting is the Calgary Flames, who LeBrun writes felt they were offering a package of similar value to the one New Jersey eventually accepted from the Arizona Coyotes. While there may not be another player of Hall’s caliber on the market come the trade deadline, the Flames are obviously a team to watch after their recent surge in the standings.
- The Bridgeport Sound Tigers will welcome Josh Ho-Sang back to the team after the disgruntled forward sat out the first part of the season. Ho-Sang has a “clean slate” with the organization according to New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello but will obviously need to work hard to move back up the depth chart. The 23-year old forward hasn’t played yet this season and was hoping to be traded to a new organization after failing to land a full-time job in the NHL.
- Lucas Raymond has been cleared to join the Swedish World Junior squad after dealing with an infection that threatened his tournament status. The top 2020 draft prospect is still just 17 years old but is already playing at the highest level in Sweden and can add a dynamic offensive piece to whoever picks him next June.