AHL stay frustrates Isles’ Ho-Sang

Josh Ho-Sang has been buried at AHL Bridgeport for most of the season, while the Islanders have floundered out of playoff contention.

But the polarizing winger hasn’t been shy about voicing his frustrations with the whole ordeal.

“I love those guys [the Islanders], I want to make that clear,” Ho-Sang told The Athletic this week.

“I know they’re working hard. But I got sent down for defense and what are they in goals against in the NHL?” Ho-Sang said of a team that is dead last in that category. “I only played [22] games up there this year. I don’t think it’s my fault. They really painted it like it was my fault at the beginning of the year and I didn’t like that.

“I do have things I need to work on down here, my game is far from perfect. It can constantly improve. But I do think a lot of the stuff was unwarranted, especially in terms of the rope that other people were given. I understand I have a history and that might be a factor. I don’t know. But it’s frustrating to me.”

The 22-year-old started the season with the Islanders and played 22 games with the club before getting sent back to Bridgeport for good in December. He had two goals and 10 assists at the time of his demotion, as the organization wanted to find consistency in his game beyond his offensive skills.

Meanwhile, the Islanders’ defensive struggles have continued, allowing the most goals in the NHL (279) and wasting a dynamic offense as they miss the playoffs for the second straight year.

In 41 games with the Sound Tigers, Ho-Sang has eight goals and 18 assists while missing some time with injuries. But as plenty of teammates around him in Bridgeport got the call to Brooklyn — including forwards Tanner Fritz, Michael Dal Colle and Ross Johnston — HoSang stayed put.