Joshua Ho-Sang has been on quite the ride.
His lifetime dream of playing in the National Hockey League (NHL) has been as far from easy as it gets. There have been countless obstacles and people telling him he wasn’t good enough. It started as early as the first time he picked up a hockey stick.

His Young Playing Days

Despite growing up in Toronto, his Chinese, Jamaican and Jewish roots made people believe hockey wasn’t for him. As much as we all want to think that hockey is a racially equal sport where all people have the same opportunities and are treated the same, the harsh truth is that racism definitely exists in hockey.
But Ho-Sang was able to erase the doubters, and was good enough to be drafted fifth overall by the Windsor Spitfires in the 2012 OHL Draft to begin his junior hockey career. He was immediately discriminated against again, not just for his race but also for his play style.

He was known as a selfish player who wanted the best for himself and not the team. He did not pass enough and generated too many turnovers. Many scouts said Ho-Sang could be a top-10 pick in the NHL Draft but needed to mature his game. 

The NHL Draft

The date was July 27, 2014. It was the NHL Draft. 10, 15, 20, 25 picks go by. Finally, the Tampa Bay Lightning were on the clock with the 28th pick. They were not willing to take the chance on Ho-Sang. But the New York Islanders were.
The Islanders traded two second round picks (35th and 57th overall) to move up to 28th overall and selected Joshua Ho-Sang. Garth Snow was confident in the pick.
“He’ll fit right in,” Snow said. “They sh*t on me too.”
After being drafted he was traded from the Windsor Spitfires to the Niagara Ice Dogs, where he had a monstrous season. It was good enough where he was invited to the Islanders 2015 Training Camp. If he impressed, he could be given an entry-level contract to start in Bridgeport at just 19-years-old.

A Tragic Mistake

But Joshua Ho-Sang arrived late on the first day of camp for an unknown reason and was immediately cut from the camp and sent back to the juniors. Ho-Sang was criticized again, giving people the impression hockey wasn’t his top priority.
2015-16 was Ho-Sang’s first full year with the Niagara Ice Dogs and he continued to dominate finishing 15th in the league in points with 82, and seventh in assists with 63. This time, Ho-Sang did make the camp and was awarded his entry-level contract.
He had a very good first AHL season in 2016-2017, scoring 36 points in 50 games, good enough where he was called up on Feb. 28, 2017. During warmups when he was set to play his first game in Dallas on March 2, he was criticized once again, this time for his jersey number, 66.
The number 99 is retired league-wide to honor Wayne Gretzky’s dominance, and although nobody was currently wearing 66, it was viewed as “disrespectful” to Mario Lemieux, possibly the second-best hockey player ever. Ho-Sang defended it, and said he was honoring Lemieux’s legacy, as his childhood hero.

Success in the NHL

Josh Ho-Sang scored his first NHL goal in his fourth game against the Edmonton Oilers on the road. He scored five points in the following four games and 10 total points in 21 games. The scoring was there, on pace for 39 points if he played a full season.
For reference, Anthony Beauvillier scored 39 points this season. However, Ho-Sang’s play style was still frowned upon. He was known for exiting the offensive zone and regrouping on power-plays and making careless mistakes in the neutral zone. He played 22 games the next season in 2017-18 registering just 12 points this time, two of which were goals.

His AHL stats were not increasing either. In 2018-19, he only got 10 games of NHL action and got two points. He was sent back to the AHL for good and all hope was officially lost. His trade rumors only increased, but the Isles could not find anyone with interest in Ho-Sang. It got so bad to where Ho-Sang refused to play for part of the 2019-20 AHL season, and was even loaned to the St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage just so Ho-Sang could play.  

The Future for The Ex-Islander

In the 2020 offseason Josh Ho-Sang was a pending RFA and was expected to remain a free agent, ending his hockey career. Rumors say KHL clubs have interest, and Ho-Sang may have to go to Russia to continue professional hockey play.
Recently, Joshua Ho-Sang turned to another passion, music. He created an inspirational song based on his hardships called “Learning.”  Learning is an acronym, for Lose, Evaluate, Accept, Refocus, Navigate, Innovate, Nurture, Grow. Here are the lyrics to his song:
There once was a childhood dream big, they said he was wild. 
They said he was crazy, they said he was lazy.
They told him grow up, stop being a baby. 
And be realistic, see everyone’s a critic (everyone’s a critic) x2
I chose to write my own story don’t follow scripture.
I ain’t just another n****, I ain’t just another dreamer who dreams bigger than you.
I don’t wanna win, I don’t wanna lose, I just wanna find my own way to do    
everything that I calculated from all the nights up in my basement.
To daydreaming while walking pavement, I won’t sell my soul, I don’t need a payment, I just need the patience.
I just need to work so I can find my way, I don’t need to pray, couldn’t ask for more, I got a mom and dad who I adore.
I got a little brother who gives support and inspires me on a daily basis.
His struggles different, my motivation comes from places deeper than my soul.
I can’t explain it, you may never know. The fire that burns my will, and keeps a way to call that lots of dark, so I can shine my light.
I don’t wanna fight but I’ll go to war with whoever tries to close a door on my (on my) imagination (imagination)
I’m a believer, I’m a believer, I’m a believer.
There once was a childhood dream big, they said he was wild. 
They said he was crazy, they said he was lazy.
They told him grow up, stop being a baby. 
And be realistic, see everyone’s a critic (everyone’s a critic) x2
Impossible? Just a small word used by big men so they can pretend that they aren’t insecure. 
Like most of these people, they make you feel feeble.
And bring you to levels to make them feel comfortable. 
Man f*** that my dreams are meant to be had, I don’t mean to seem mad.
I just ain’t lookin back, at all the doubters.
I’m a believer, I’m a believer.
We’re all created with a consciousness that you can’t contain.
They light the spark and I am the flame,
The burning fire never goes away see this ain’t a game this is real life,
I try to change and do right, I try to grow through the dark times.
My evolution is why I’m human, I learn and adapt, I change and adjust,
I dream for the stars, won’t settle for dust, won’t settle for nothing, (won’t settle for nothing)
There once was a child, who turned to the man, who realized he could do whatever he dreams,
Whatever he needs, he was given from birth.
We’ve all been given the curse of the limits we’re taught.
But what if you thought outside the little box you were given? And reached for the heavens?
What if you took off the mask and stopped pretending to be someone that you’re really not?
We/re not gods, but we are divine, this gift of time is ours to cherish.
One day you will perish and be forgotten.
I think about this very often, I got one shot to really blossom.
To really grow into the person that I wanna be so I follow dreams to the death of me.
Because I’d rather see myself fail than never try at all.
Joshua Ho-Sang has never given up on himself and make sure you never give up on yourself no matter what your dreams are. That is what he would want.

Ben Kule

Die-Hard Islanders fan and writer from Plainview, Long Island, NY. I have a passion and knowledge for this team and I enjoy sharing that with others