Former New York Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang was once again in the spotlight on Tuesday, releasing an album with his hockey career on the shelf.
Former New York Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang was once again in the spotlight on Tuesday, releasing an album with his hockey career on the shelf.
Former New York Islanders forward Josh Ho-Sang was once again in the spotlight on Tuesday, releasing an album with his hockey career on the shelf.
The album, called SAME, contains 18 songs, starting with a piece titled "It's Time to Grow Up."
The song begins with the following lyrics: "I thought I was homesick. But really, I was just holding on to times when things were simple, moving slowly, and the pressure was less. My biggest problem was going every day. I measured my progress. I wonder when that started stopping, not just my growth, but the celebration of my success. I wonder when my pride turned into stress..."
Ho-Sang is implying regret over the choices of the former first-round pick.
Selected by the Islanders 28th overall in 2014, Ho-Sang was a controversial pick.
While the forward's talent was undeniable, questions about his character existed, and, at times, those claims were validated.
During his time with the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, then-head coach Dave Bell yanked him back from going over the boards in their final game of the 2015 season.
Later that year, at his first Islanders training camp, he was late to a practice, which led to him running the stairs of Nassau Coliseum before being put back on the bus to Windsor.
Ho-Sang eventually got his first taste of NHL hockey in the 2016-17 season, tallying four goals and six assists in 21 games.
The speedy, shifty forward got more NHL exposure over the next two seasons but was sent down to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League for long stretches of those seasons, leading to a trade request.
He's played in Europe since his last NHL game on Jan. 5, 2019, getting sent on loan to Örebro HK in 2020-21 before leaving the Islanders.
He signed a pro tryout with the Toronto Maple Leafs but failed to crack their roster, playing for their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. H
Ho-Sang played in the KHL for the 2022-23 season but hasn't played since suffering an injury that has him contemplating retirement.
Other songs on Ho-Sang's album include "Hope for the Best," "Maniac," and "Papi for MVP," alluding to Maple Leafs sniper Auston Matthews.
The album is available on his Spotify page.