Interesting lineup decision for New York Islanders coach Dough Weight when his team opens the 2017-18 season on Friday night.
Forward Josh Ho-Sang, one of the team’s best young players, will be a healthy scratch when the team hosts the Buffalo Sabres.
Veteran forward Jason Chimera will be in the lineup in his place.
Dougie: Chimera in, Ho-Sang out. Pelech in, Mayfield and Pulock out.
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 6, 2017
Greiss will start in net tonight, Jaro will start tomorrow. #Isles pic.twitter.com/ihFoZ1GYB3
Weight has said this preseason he is not afraid to give ice-time to the team’s younger players, and to an extent that seems to be true as Matthew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier will both be in the lineup on Friday.
The fact that Ho-Sang is the odd-man out, though, is a little surprising given how strong of a preseason he had and how promising he looked last season in his limited look with the big club, recording 10 points and a 52 percent Corsi rating in 21 games while also playing an extremely exciting brand of hockey.
The 38-year-old Chimera played in all 82 games for the Islanders a season ago scoring 20 goals.
Defenseman Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock are also healthy scratches for the Islanders on Friday.