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Josh Ho-Sang Requests Trade from Islanders

Newsday reports the reason he, well, did not yet report.

Chicago Blackhawks v New York Islanders
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Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images

It’s another chapter in the Joshua Ho-Sang story.

With the New York Islanders setting their 23-man opening roster and, consequently, assigning Ho-Sang to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, news from AHL camp raised a(nother) flag:

Ho-Sang wasn’t with the AHL team yet, per reports from Newsday and the Connecticut Post:

Turns out there was a reason: Heyman’s Newsday colleague and regular Islanders beatwriter Andrew Gross had the answer: Trade request.

Lou Lamoriello told the player not to report — at least not for now? — to recheck the post-waivers trade landscape and presumably prevent any camp injury affecting trade talks. Probably throw in a side of “if your head isn’t with us, then don’t be with us,” too. Arthur Staple of the Athletic also has a quote from GM Lou:

Ho-Sang’s path to and in pro hockey has been riddled with setbacks — several but not all self-inflicted — as well as endless fan debates on how to get the most out of his talent. This is just the latest one.

But he’s also come along way, if training camp words from Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz are to be taken at face value, to be close to an NHL roster spot. So it would be a shame if he stopped pushing now. If the Islanders don’t find a trade partner, he’s going to have some reflecting to do.

No trade partner was found for him this summer and he went unclaimed on league-wide waivers this week. But even if they don’t find a trade partner for him now, a team may come calling during the season when injuries hit.

Meanwhile, the Islanders have added other young, offensively talented forwards to the mix, knocking on the NHL door while assigned to Bridgeport.

It’s possible a team will take a low-risk chance on him and he thrives with a fresh start. It’s also possible he finds a very similar situation, bumped to some other team’s AHL squad and battling with other prospects for the coach’s trust.

“It is what it is.”