Islanders not bringing Josh Ho-Sang to camp
Islanders right wing Josh Ho-Sang looks on before a faceoff against the Detroit Red Wings in the second period of a game at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on Dec. 15, 2018. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Mercurial forward Josh Ho-Sang, who somewhat curiously was re-signed to a contract in October, was not invited to training camp because the Islanders decided he was unlikely to make the team’s 23-man roster or taxi squad, general manager Lou Lamoriello said.
"We made a decision that we would be taking four goaltenders, 12 defensemen and 21 forwards,’’ Lamoriello said. "When we went over our whole group as to who we felt had the best chance of making that four to six [taxi squad], he was not one of them.’’
Ho-Sang, 24, a first-round pick (28th overall) by the Islanders in the 2014 NHL Draft, has seven goals and 17 assists in 53 NHL games. But after failing to make the team out of training camp last season, he requested a trade and was sent home while Lamoriello tried to accommodate him.
When no deal could be made, Ho-Sang reported to the Islanders’ Bridgeport farm team before being loaned to the St. Louis Blues’ San Antonio farm team.
When the Islanders signed him to a one-year, $700,000 deal, it seemed as if he’d be getting one more chance with the organization. Apparently not.
Ice chips
Lamoriello said the Islanders will not be bringing in any players on a professional tryout (PTO) basis. "Things can always change . . . but this will be the group, at this point,’’ he said . . . Lamoriello said Jakub Skarek will be the fourth goalie in camp, joining Semyon Varlamov, Ilya Sorokin and Cory Schneider . . . Adam Pelech and Casey Cizikas, both of whom were injured in the Eastern Conference finals, are "100% healthy . . . [and] will be ready to take full practice the first day of training camp,’’ Lamoriello said . . . A live camera feed from inside the under-construction UBS Arena will be made available on the team’s website Friday. There has been a live feed available for the outside construction.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
