RW Joshua Ho-Sang - Windsor Spitfires, OHL (2014, 28th overall, NY Islanders)

[PBandJ]

Considering his antics and temper tantrums, Hextall might want to avoid talking about anyone's character.

 

[Philly85*]

I want to see this kid in the NHL

 

[boredmale]

Start picking them when you actually win something. I wouldn't touch Ho-Sang with a 10 ft pole or care to have him anywhere in my organization's system if I have a young impressionable team that is just coming together. I wouldn't want him on my AHL team playing with other prospects. I don't think there's any room for individualists of that kind (not that we're talking about Patrick Kane talent here) on a young team that still hasn't won anything. To me it's mind-blowing that a team passes on Kempe or Barbashev or Quenneville or what have you to select Ho-Sang, I mean you haven't won anything, you don't have a winning team that has guys locked into positions for the foreseeable future, you have some good young pieces and nice prospect depth, you don't add Ho-Sang at that stage and certainly not because you project to be a winning team or project prospects as sure things in the future, do it when you actually are there. If you have an established winning team with no spots ok I can understand that you take Ho-Sang and hope there is something there 3 years from now.

At the end of the day getting your hands on high end talent is the key to winning so the Islanders basically swung for the fences and hope it works out. If it doesn't then Ho Sang will fade into obscurity or become a marginal NHLer like most other players picked 28th do

One thing you can't discount from an Islanders perspective, his background(black, asian, jewish) combined with his ability to get the spotlight on himself will work very well trying to get media attention in a market that it's tough to do so(assuming he is an above average player). You can't discount the value of that to the Islanders

 

[Jtown]

Considering his antics and temper tantrums, Hextall might want to avoid talking about anyone's character.

what did hextall say about him?

 

[PWJunior]

At the end of the day getting your hands on high end talent is the key to winning so the Islanders basically swung for the fences and hope it works out. If it doesn't then Ho Sang will fade into obscurity or become a marginal NHLer like most other players picked 28th do

One thing you can't discount from an Islanders perspective, his background(black, asian, jewish) combined with his ability to get the spotlight on himself will work very well trying to get media attention in a market that it's tough to do so(assuming he is an above average player). You can't discount the value of that to the Islanders

Agreed. If Ho-Sang pans out, you've got to think Brooklyn is going to love him. I think he's in a good situation with the Isles who have a lot of high end forward talent and a predominantly boy scout locker room that revolves around Tavares. He will inject an element of speed/skill to the top-6. MDC is another high character kid and Ho-Sang has said that they are old friends so that's a bonus.

 

[Swarez]

I don't watch JR, I barley know who this guy is but I really really want him to come in and light it up.

 

[Jtown]

Hockey is the only sport out of the big 4 where a player with confidence is considered a charachter issue and that charachter issue can lead to a drop in draft rating.

Charachter concerns in other sports are ****, dui's, drugs, and assault.

The nhl has a bunch of choir boys and to think that overconfidence is a charachter concern is laughable. I hope Ho sang dominates in the nhl.

 

[Makar Goes Fast]

is he really getting a bad rap because he is over confident?
is there anymore to this guy?
sorry im not very educated on him if someone can fill me in

 

[SI90]

Hockey is the only sport out of the big 4 where a player with confidence is considered a charachter issue and that charachter issue can lead to a drop in draft rating.

Charachter concerns in other sports are ****, dui's, drugs, and assault.

The nhl has a bunch of choir boys and to think that overconfidence is a charachter concern is laughable. I hope Ho sang dominates in the nhl.

I agree. Great post. Are you sure your a flyers fan? Just kidding.

 

[Macch]

Hockey is the only sport out of the big 4 where a player with confidence is considered a charachter issue and that charachter issue can lead to a drop in draft rating.

Charachter concerns in other sports are ****, dui's, drugs, and assault.

The nhl has a bunch of choir boys and to think that overconfidence is a charachter concern is laughable. I hope Ho sang dominates in the nhl.

Wow well said. I've try to read everything i could find about this kid. If it were the NFL or NBA draft, there would be no "character issues"

 

[Rehabguy]

Hockey is the only sport out of the big 4 where a player with confidence is considered a charachter issue and that charachter issue can lead to a drop in draft rating.

Charachter concerns in other sports are ****, dui's, drugs, and assault.

The nhl has a bunch of choir boys and to think that overconfidence is a charachter concern is laughable. I hope Ho sang dominates in the nhl.

Agreed. It is also a league that views having a good time and partying after work is a character flaw as well. The league wants more "Dry Islands". The very Islands that Mike Richards and Jeff Carter scoffed at and according to fellow teammates got them booted off the Flyers. I'm sure they're crying in their beds right now. Dean Lombardi obviously doesn't see having an icy relationship with the media or having a good time as character flaws. He knows that talent is the deciding factor- let's hope for the Flyers sake that Hextall remembers that lesson from his mentor.

Here's what Ho-Sang had to say about having a good time ( I think Richards and Carter would agree with his assessment):

[P.K. Subban] gets into trouble. [Patrick Kane] gets in trouble. The guys with more personality play with something more.†“You look at Patrick Kane, he’s having a good time. He’s getting the job done. I guarantee you ask Patrick Kane how much he loves to party, he’d say ’10,’ [on a scale of] one to 10. You can tell. The bottle’s popping, all this stuff. He’s absolutely hammered at all the parades. That’s hilarious. These guys are havig a blast.â€

 

[Jtown]

Wow well said. I've try to read everything i could find about this kid. If it were the NFL or NBA draft, there would be no "character issues"

exactly. Let me tell you something. Some of the greatest athletes of all time are some of the most egotistical disgraceful human beings on earth. Having a plethora of people just worship you makes you kind of detached from any sense of normality.

But these athletes should not be judged for the person they are they should only be judged by their performance in their respective sport. I don't care how nice claude giroux is or how much time he donates to charity, i care if he is helping the flyers win some games.

The barry switzer era cowboys are a great example of this, the antics that went on during that era were unbelievable. But they won a superbowl , and no one cared.

 

[Rehabguy]

exactly. Let me tell you something. Some of the greatest athletes of all time are some of the most egotistical disgraceful human beings on earth. Having a plethora of people just worship you makes you kind of detached from any sense of normality.

But these athletes should not be judged for the person they are they should only be judged by their performance in their respective sport. I don't care how nice claude giroux is or how much time he donates to charity, i care if he is helping the flyers win some games.

The barry switzer era cowboys are a great example of this, the antics that went on during that era were unbelievable. But they won a superbowl , and no one cared.

Dude, I think you need to apply for the Flyers GM position.

 

[Jtown]

Dude, I think you need to apply for the Flyers GM position.

If i was the gm i can guarantee you now we would still have JVR.

 

[dubey]

Wow well said.

Was posted on twitter yesterday I think and got a bunch of retweets

 

[louie lighthouse]

Hockey is the only sport out of the big 4 where a player with confidence is considered a charachter issue and that charachter issue can lead to a drop in draft rating.

Charachter concerns in other sports are ****, dui's, drugs, and assault.

The nhl has a bunch of choir boys and to think that overconfidence is a charachter concern is laughable. I hope Ho sang dominates in the nhl.

Great post.

 

[NeilYoung]

I like the kids confidence, will be interesting to watch his development over the next couple of years

 

[seafoam]

Wow well said. I've try to read everything i could find about this kid. If it were the NFL or NBA draft, there would be no "character issues"

If this were the NFL, Ho-Sang would be a toned down version of Richard Sherman, or maybe Johnny Manziel. (personality wise)

 

[Future]

I think people are forgetting the most important thing. He has serious flaws in his game.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

I don't think any scout would have a problem with Ho-Sang's confidence if his play on the ice didn't show selfishness and the like.

 

[Jtown]

I don't think any scout would have a problem with Ho-Sang's confidence if his play on the ice didn't show selfishness and the like.

on that windsor team he can be selfish all he wants. But also this hockey not basketball its hard to be selfish.

 

[WangMustGo]

I think people are forgetting the most important thing. He has serious flaws in his game.

Id love to hear more about his game, and less about his overblown attitude and overconfidence issues.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

I think people are forgetting the most important thing. He has serious flaws in his game.

Was really pissed actually about this, instead of reporting about his game, TSN ran the Toronto article and talked about how JT and Okposo could lead him in the right direction.

As far as I know, he has great speed and hands and isn't a complete player.

 

[PWJunior]

Was really pissed actually about this, instead of reporting about his game, TSN ran the Toronto article and talked about how JT and Okposo could lead him in the right direction.

As far as I know, he has great speed and hands and isn't a complete player.

It is a shame that we can't get to dissecting his game. From what I've put together, he reminds me of an Ales Hemsky (the early Edmonton version) type. He should excel in the neutral zone and be a strong zone entry player with his speed and skill.

 

[islesforlife]

I think people are forgetting the most important thing. He has serious flaws in his game.

You mean the 'selfishness' that he shows when he didn't pass the puck and get 53 assists? Or his ego that he has when he celebrates a goal that he worked hard to help his team get? How he's sloth-like when passing nearly everyone on the ice? That horrible mix of wrist, snap, slap, and backhand shots that gave him a measly 32 goal season? How about the horrible defense where he only had a +26??

You're right, he has a lot of serious flaws in his game. He can do TOO MUCH. WHAT A TRAVESTY.

No but on a more serious note, yes he isn't perfect, but remember that he was projected for top 5 in this draft (at least that what I've been reading, I couldn't find it anywhere) and dropped. Unless there is some serious flaw I couldn't find in all my reading on scouting reports and what not, he's really got a pretty fantastic game.