Islanders Giving Josh Ho-Sang One Last Shot

 Well it seems like the New York Islanders have not lost all hope in Josh Ho-Sang yet. The Islanders re-signed the 24-year-old restricted free agent to a one year, two-way deal. This comes as a suprise to many considering Ho-Sang's tainted reputation within the organization. Islanders fans know the conflicts Ho-Sang has caused with himself and the organization.

In 2015, he overslept the first day of training camp. He was punished by running the Nassau Coliseum stairs and then was sent back to juniors. in 2017, Ho-Sang allegedly slept through a team meeting, leading him to be sent to the AHL for the rest of that season. And just this past training camp, he did not make the Islanders final roster and sat out the first half of the AHL season.

So why did the Islanders even offer Ho-Sang a contract after causing them so much agony?

Well first is the obvious: Ho-Sang has a cheap asking price at $700K and the Islanders need to save money. Also, everybody that has watched Ho-Sang play knows that he possesses other worldly offensive talent. He has recorded 24 points in 53 NHL games. And while these numbers seem average, the former first-round pick is known for his speed, smooth hands, and elite playmaking ability. The other thing and probably the biggest kicker to keep Ho-Sang around is head coach Barry Trotz. Trotz has been a key part of the Islanders turnaround since arriving in 2018, mainly because of his defense-first system. Trotz has spoken highly of Ho-Sang and has belief that if Ho-Sang is willing to work on becoming an effective two-way player, he can have a role in the Islander lineup.  

The Islanders and its fans still have hope for Ho-Sang and hopefully fans get what they have been waiting for out of Ho-Sang which is another generational offensive talent in their lineup every single night. But it'll only happen if his attitude changes; maybe his sleep schedule too.