Report: Controversial prospect leaves lasting impression on coaching staff

New York Islanders prospect Josh Ho-Sang is used to making an impression. The 21 year-old former first round pick of the team in the 2014 NHL Draft seems to make a lasting impression wherever he goes. Whether that’s because of his on-ice abilities or his off-ice persona however, varies. The brash and confident rookie plays the game the way he talks the game:  Smart, flashy, but not without flaw.

Ho-Sang is a mercurial player who clearly has a tremendous amount of skill, but at times has had difficulty adjusting his game to fit within team structures and systems. However, at the team’s mini development camp late last month new Islanders head coach Doug Weight had nothing but positive things to say about his experience with Ho-Sang so far. 

“Josh was great,” Weight told NHL.com's Brian Compton. “We were getting feedback from [AHL head coach Brent Thompson] about his attitude down there, and he was playing hard, learning the system and played with some passion. I think he showed that when he came up.”

That’s good news for Islanders fans. A focused Josh Ho-Sang, ready to compete and contribute at the NHL level would go a long way toward getting this team back in to the NHL’s playoff picture. What’s even better is that with a full year of AHL seasoning under his belt, Ho-Sang should have the upper hand on fellow Islanders prospects Mathew Barzal, Michael Dal Colle and Kieffer Bellows, all of whom will also be looking to stick with the big club at training camp this fall.

We’re pulling for this kid. His skill set is out of this world, we just hope he can put it all together and finally show the world what he’s made of.