Josh Ho-Sang finished the Islanders’ preseason on rocky terms with the organization, but the tumultuous relationship took a turn Tuesday.
General manager Lou Lamoriello confirmed the right-handed winger would rejoin the Islanders’ AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, after training on his own since the end of camp. When Ho-Sang failed to make the Islanders’ opening night roster and was subsequently waived, the 23-year-old requested a trade.
In early October, Lamoriello told Ho-Sang not to report to Bridgeport while he tried to work out a deal. As a result, the 28th pick in the 2014 draft hasn’t logged a single minute in the NHL or AHL for the past three months.
“Josh reached out to [Bridgeport GM] Chris Lamoriello and they had a conversation,” Lou Lamoriello said before Tuesday’s 8-3 loss to the Predators at Nassau Coliseum. “Chris made the decision to bring him back, Chris and [Bridgeport head coach Brent Thompson]. So we’ll see.”
When asked if there were anything “lingering” from what happened between the organization and Ho-Sang — who has appeared in 53 games for the Islanders over the past three seasons — Lamoriello insisted there wasn’t.
“No, not from me, not from him to the best of my knowledge,” Lamoriello said. “He just has to go there and do what he has to do as a player and conform to the environment and there will be no issues.
“He did have a good training camp, but where he’s at right now, physically and mentally, we’ll just have to wait and see. From our end of it, he’ll have a clean slate and it’s in his hands.”
Wahlstrom, 19, was drafted by the Islanders No. 11 overall in 2018 and has skated in nine NHL games this season.
“It’s a big stage and he’s a player,” coach Barry Trotz said. “I think you get a lot of confidence from that. He’s been there. He’s a veteran player. It’s a tremendous tournament.
“With all the number of people we have in Bridgeport, they’ve got close to 30 guys I think, in between all of that it made sense to give him an opportunity to be on sort of a big stage and be playing.”
Trotz said Dal Colle skated on his own Tuesday morning, but is still not ready to join group practices.
The eight goals the Predators scored Tuesday are the most the Islanders have allowed in a game this season and the fifth time they have allowed three or more goals at home. The Islanders also gave up the most even-strength tallies (six) they have allowed since a 5-2 loss to the Hurricanes on Oct. 11.
Post time: Dec-24-2019