Josh Ho-Sang already has shown a knack for controversy, and that hasn’t stopped with his NHL debut.
The 21-year-old Islanders forward and former first-round pick (No. 28 overall in the 2014 draft) was a topic of conversation — especially on Pittsburgh sports talk radio — after he debuted Thursday night wearing No. 66, just the sixth player in history to wear the number and the second since the legendary Penguin Mario Lemieux retired in 2006.
“I’ve been wearing it since I was 15, and I really admire Mario Lemieux,” Ho-Sang told Newsday just before a 5-4 comeback win over the Stars on Thursday night in Dallas, part of the Isles’ franchise-record nine-game road trip.
“Just the skill level he brought to the game, the excitement,” Ho-Sang said. “Some people would say he’s a little more dynamic on the skill side than Wayne [Gretzky]. … I know there are some people who aren’t too happy about [me wearing No. 66], but for me, it’s like the way guys wear 10 and 23 [in soccer and basketball for Lionel Messi and Michael Jordan, respectively].”
Ho-Sang has made headlines in the past for boasting about his skill and for showing up late to meetings and practices with his minor league teams. In addition, his multicultural background long has made him a figure of curiosity in the hockey world. Ho-Sang, who is Jewish, was born in Canada to a black Jamaican father of Chinese descent and a mother of Russian, German and Spanish extraction who was raised in Chile.
Amid the surrounding noise, Ho-Sang managed to be one of AHL Bridgeport’s most productive players — despite at times being a healthy scratch — registering 10 goals and 36 points over his first 48 games this season.
He made his big-league debut without a point, but registered two shots on net over 17:01 of ice time. He is set to play in the second leg of the team’s back-to-back Friday night in Chicago – and he set to wear No. 66 until further notice.
“It’s honoring [Lemieux] and just, I think a lot more people remember who he is now because they’re yelling at me about wearing the number, right? I think that’s cool, too,” Ho-Sang said. “There’s a lot of light being shined on an amazing player.
“By no means am I trying to be better than or trying to prove anything. For me, it’s definitely a tribute to a great player. If he asked me not to wear it, I’d definitely consider it, but I haven’t gotten any phone calls or anything. So for now, I’m gonna wear it.”
