Josh Ho-Sang deserved one final chance with the Islanders

The amount of chances the Islanders have given Josh Ho-Sang is many.

This upcoming season — and the training camp which begins on Sunday — was set to be his possible final shot at being a part of the organization for the future. That all seems to be gone after news broke yesterday that the Isles had decided to not to invite Ho-Sang to camp.

The shocking development, first reported by The Athletic’s Arthur Staple, was then confirmed by the New York Post’s Mollie Walker.

Ho-Sang, who had been qualified by the Isles, and then agreed to a one-year, two-way deal back in October is another reason that left many thinking something is amiss. Add to that, he hadn’t made a peep since being signed and it seemed like things were finally on the straight and narrow.

Guess not.

And it does stink and Islanders fans have every right to think the treatment of the 24-year-old might be uncalled for this time around as compared to some of the past drama between the player and team.

Ho-Sang it felt might have finally gotten the message once a deal was struck. He made an impassioned statement then through his new agent saying “he was ready to give everything he has to earn a spot in the National Hockey League” and that “conversations with the Islanders in furtherance of this deal were strong”.

What’s also bothersome is that Ho-Sang was set to get a fair shake at making the team. With Derick Brassard off to Arizona, a third-line winger spot was going to be up for grabs. The competition between he and almost up to six other forwards was going to be one of the bigger storylines once camp was underway. Now we’ll just have to wait to see if Ho-Sang will play even in the AHL for that matter. It was said yesterday that he could still participate in Bridgeport’s camp which begins in late January.

Ho-Sang and his up-and-down relationship with the Isles has been well documented, but this latest chapter in the saga might be what calls for the two sides to finally part ways.

Maybe Islanders g.m. Lou Lamoriello sheds light on the situation when he meets with the media later this afternoon. It’s not likely though as trying to get anything out of Lamoriello is met with immediate silence. And this situation in particular, with how it’s been played out publicly or privately, just seems to always have a negative feel to it.

Ho-Sang’s got the skill and the talent to be in the NHL. But things seem to be back to square one again.

Even with that aspect, Ho-Sang should have been afforded this last opportunity to be an Islander despite already being given second and third chances.

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Congrats goes out in order to Austin Czarnik and his wife Rachel on the birth of their daughter Colette. Czarnik, 27, signed on with the Isles in free agency and was expected to be one of the forwards who will be fighting for that third line role.

Ray Ferraro had a great quote during the Russia-Sweden game last night. Asked by his broadcast partner about dressing rooms — as it attained to what the kids in the tournament were dealing with — the TSN analyst said of his time in the Islander room: “Oh I mean it was a closet. But they won four Stanley Cups in it.”

Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky now own the Islanders completely after buying the remaining 15% of the stake in the franchise which belonged to the late Charles Wang and his family.

Said Ledecky: “Charles B. Wang was a remarkable man who achieved much and is greatly missed. He loved Long Island and stepped in to keep the Islanders where they belong. Charles believed in this franchise and always wanted what was best for the team’s passionate fan base.

His vision for the Islanders will be fulfilled next season with the opening of UBS Arena at Belmont Park. This permanent home for the team will celebrate the Wang family’s 20 years of commitment to the New York Islanders and will define Charles B. Wang’s legacy as a valued steward of this proud franchise.”