New York Islanders prospect Josh Ho-Sang’s 2015-16 NHL training camp was over before it even got started.
The club has reportedly sent the talented 19-year-old back to his Ontario Hockey League club, the Niagara IceDogs, after he failed to report to the first day of camp on time.
The Islanders selected Ho-Sang 28th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft. He was sent back to the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL after attending his first NHL training camp prior to the start of the 2014-15 season.
Ho-Sang is often the subject of controversy, and usually under ambiguous terms. He is a gifted player, as evidenced by his speed and the 210 points he accumulated in 190 OHL games. He is also confident, which is an attribute that seemingly rubs a lot of teammates and coaches the wrong way.
“When you boil it down, all I’ve said in the media is that I believe in myself, that I have dreams,” Ho-Sang told Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling in March of 2015. “I don’t know what’s wrong with that.”
Ho-Sang was not invited to Team Canada’s world junior camp last summer, despite very clearly possessing the hockey acumen to at least contend for a spot on the roster. The Spitfires traded him to Niagara last November, with Windsor head coach Bob Boughner standing by the move despite his club finishing last place in the OHL’s Western Conference.
“We don’t have that horse. We knew that when we traded [Ho-Sang],” Boughner told the Windsor Star in March. “The hockey world, and the true people that know what was going on inside our four walls, know that.
“It was mandatory that we had to trade him. For many, many, numerous internal reasons, the people that truly know what went on behind the scenes would understand why we had to trade him.”
Ho-Sang piled up 62 points in 49 games with the IceDogs en route to the post-season.
Prior to Friday’s dismissal from training camp, Ho-Sang had reportedly received glowing reviews from the Islanders.
Ho-Sang was invited to and took part in Team Canada’s world junior camp in August.
