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Islanders Puck Talk – The Waiver Wire

There will be a season preview right before the season (as there are still potential moves to be made) but Lou Lamoriello came out on Monday morning and informed the media that three players were to be put on waivers.

The Islanders obviously needed to cut down their roster with the season coming next week, but the three players on waivers are a bit of a surprise. According to Lamoriello, Josh Ho-Sang, Thomas Hickey and Tanner Fritz will be waived and will be re-assigned to Bridgeport if they aren’t claimed.

The Josh Ho-Sang Era is over

Ho-Sang will probably never play a game for the Islanders again barring some injuries. After being sent down to Bridgeport again, he’ll most likely be claimed by someone willing to take a chance on him.

Even if he isn’t, he clearly hasn’t shown enough in camp and in preseason to warrant a roster spot. It’s sad to see as Ho-Sang was one of the top prospects for years, but he just never panned out. Whether it be his own shortcomings, both on and off the ice, or getting dealt a tough hand, he just isn’t in the Islanders’ plans for the future.

Fritz may be the most underappreciated player on the team

Tanner Fritz is a nuts-and-bolts type players. He’s someone who will do all the dirty work, have some unbelievable shifts with hard skating and determination and has a nice scoring touch when needed.

Unfortunately, Fritz is a casualty not for his play, but because it’s a numbers game. Fritz may be claimed because of his gritty style and it’s a shame that the Islanders don’t have room for him. Maybe they’re waiving him and taking the chance because they think Otto Koivula can fill that hole at center, but Fritz is a valuable commodity.

Hickey is the odd D-man out

Thomas Hickey has been the consummate professional for many years. It looks like his run on the Islanders is coming to an end, becoming the odd-man out in a crowded back end. With the emergence of youngster Noah Dobson, Hickey became expendable.

Hickey will best be known for being a steady defenseman despite his size, being the 10th longest tenured Islander D-man and his clutch goals in the playoffs. His biggest moment as an Islander was his Game 3 winning goal in overtime against the Florida Panthers in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Thank you for the memories, Hicks. You’ll be missed if you wind up being claimed.

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