New York Islanders farmhand Josh Ho-Sang doesn't think he was given a fair shake at cracking the big club out of camp this season.
Ho-Sang, who's been vocal about his lack of opportunity with the Islanders in the past, believes New York's new-look regime under Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz had its team predetermined in training camp.
"I felt like they had their minds made up on what was going to happen and what the team was going to look like," Ho-Sang told Brett Cyrgalis of the New York Post. "It's OK. They had the whole summer to plan that. I don't know if you watched any of the games, but I didn't play a lot. It's OK. It is what it is."
Ho-Sang was drafted 28th overall by the Isles in 2014. While he possesses an NHL-level skill set, his commitment on both sides of the puck and actions off the ice have shaped his reputation as a player.
Even in the AHL, he's not sure he's being deployed properly.
"They tell me they want me to be a top-six forward up there, but I'm not a top-six forward down here, so it's confusing," he said. "Sometimes, it's like you're sprinting with a rubber band on. You constantly have tension. You run until you're exhausted and then the band is going to pull you back. If I was going to say anything, it would be: Just watch. I'm just pointing it out."
In nine games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season, Ho-Sang has recorded four assists. Over his NHL career, he's amassed 22 points in 43 contests.
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