The New York Islanders have re-signed restricted free agents Michael Dal Colle and Joshua Ho-Sang, the team announced Monday.
Dal Colle agreed to a two-year deal, while Ho-Sang signed a one-year extension. As per CapFriendly, Dal Colle's deal carries an AAV of $700,000, while Ho-Sang will make $874,125.
NHL FREE AGENCY 2019: Tracker for all 31 teams' RFAs, UFAs
Both forwards, now 23 years old, are both Islanders 2014 first-round picks and have since remained in the organization's farm system while other prospects — such as Mathew Barzal, who was drafted the following summer — developed more quickly.
2 signings are better than 1 ✒️ 📃 The #Isles have also agreed to terms on a 2-year contract with Michael Dal Colle!@NYIslanders | @MDalColle71 pic.twitter.com/N0lT3Jxqqn
— MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) August 19, 2019
Dal Colle made his NHL debut two seasons ago and played in 28 NHL games last season, recording three goals and four assists. He spent parts of the season in the AHL, where he scored 34 points in 34 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The two-year deal will provide him with an opportunity to further break into the lineup.
Ho-Sang, meanwhile, has spent time back and forth between the Islanders' NHL and AHL rosters over the last three seasons, and in his first year, he notched 22 points in 43 games. The Toronto native played only 10 games with the Islanders last winter before returning to Bridgeport, where he recorded 43 points in 56 games for the Sound Tigers.
Questions about Ho-Sang's character and bizarre off-ice incidents have dogged him his entire professional career, from being quickly sent back to juniors during training camp in 2015 after being late to being scratched by Bridgeport in January.
Despite his professional struggles, he's still considered a highly-talented offensive prospect. It seems a one-year contract with the Islanders will afford him one more opportunity to stick around in the NHL.
