Josh Ho-Sang is returning to professional hockey.
The 28-year-old forward signed a contract with the ECHL's Florida Everblades on Wednesday, stepping back into the game after being away from the sport for over a year.
Ho-Sang spent the 2021-22 season with the Maple Leafs organization. He joined the NHL club on a professional tryout at the beginning of training camp before signing a one-year AHL deal with the Toronto Marlies ahead of their season.
The forward scored 16 goals and 19 assists in 47 games with Toronto, while also playing for Team Canada at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, China. Ho-Sang had three assists in five games for his home country that featured players not on existing NHL contracts.
After a season in the AHL, Ho-Sang joined the KHL's Ufa Salavat Yulayev for a season. He was injured for most of the season and played just five games — one in the regular season and three in the playoffs — registering one assist.
Away from hockey, Ho-Sang has been working on multiple projects, which he's released in the last few days. One is an 18-track rap album called 'SAME' that came out Tuesday. One of the songs on the album that drew a lot of attention is titled 'Papi For MVP'.
"I met Auston, I think I crossed paths with him twice [in the Maple Leafs organization]. I don't really know him that well. But what I will say is I met him fresh off his hand surgery. That's actually why I made the song," Ho-Sang told Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill of Leafs Morning Take.
"I broke my hand too and through the conversations that I had with Auston, just talking about his rehab early on. How committed he was and how much belief he had that things were going to be fine with his wrist, and then to watch him score 50 goals the next year, and then come back again and basically score 50 goals in 50 games, which is like, I don't even think people can comprehend what that run was.
"So for me, that's why he's my MVP. Because I don't think people understand how hard it is to come back from an injury, and then to come back better and more efficient. I used that as an inspiration through my really long hard rehab."
Ho-Sang has also recently released a new app called Pick-Up Pro Sports or 'pup', a "platform that allows you to find pick-up games, events, and practice."
"I am so grateful for the love for my app and my album," Ho-Sang posted on X (formerly known as Twitter). "I appreciate everyone one of you together we can #makesportsaccessibleforall."
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