Joshua Ho-Sang and the New York Islanders have agreed to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal is worth $700,000 in the NHL and $225,000 in the minors. By coming to terms, the Islanders and Ho-Sang avoid their salary arbitration hearing on October 30th.
NYI & Josh Ho-Sang settle their arbitration case at $700K/$225K.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 27, 2020
Joshua Ho-Sang Re-Signs with Islanders
Ho-Sang was drafted by the Islanders first round (28th) in 21014 from the OHL Windsor Spitfires. The 24-year-old Ho-Sang is an immensely talented player but it hasn’t quite clicked for him at the NHL level. He has managed to play in just 53 NHL games, over parts of three seasons. In those games, Ho-Sang has posted seven goals and 28 points. It’s a stark contrast between his production in junior. In 256 OHL games (split between Windsor and Mississauga), Ho-Sang posted 82 goals and 292 points.
What This Means for the Future
It was a rocky year for Ho-Sang. He did not feature in any games during the Islanders run to the Eastern Conference Finals. In fact, he was forced to sit out for two months while the Islanders tried to trade him. When no trade could be reached, he was loaned out to the San Antonio Rampage in the AHL. During the off-season, Ho-Sang was even considering a move to the KHL. Despite the seemingly fractured relationship, the Islanders gave Ho-Sang a qualifying offer rather than letting him walk in free agency. Ho-Sang surprised the Islanders by filing for arbitration. Now both the team and player can move forward after a tumultuous season.
The Islanders lack scoring depth, especially on their wings. Ho-Sang has the potential to give the Islanders an added dimension to their offence that they desperately need. Ho-Sang is hoping to establish himself as an everyday NHL player. Playing on a one-year deal may give Ho-Sang motivation to turn his (so far) disappointing career around. The Islanders and Ho-Sang are hoping that turning the page and getting a new start will lead to joint success.
Other News
The Islanders signed three other players along with Ho-Sang. They reached a one-year deal with A.J. Greer. They also signed Mitch Vande Sompel and Parker Wotherspoon to two-year deals.
