Clearing up some confusion over what would happen if Ho-Sang signs an NHL deal after the Olympics
Many have speculated and Josh Ho-Sang has hinted at the fact that he wants to play in the NHL when he returns from the Olympics. Ho-Sang is currently on an AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies after he had a strong tryout with the Leafs in training camp. He's shown that he has matured and he's having a great season with the Marlies. His play earned him a spot on Team Canada at the Olympics and it could also earn him an NHL contract when he returns from Beijing.
One of the concerns that fans seem to have regarding Ho-Sang signing an NHL contract is that he would have to go through waivers after signing an NHL deal, however that is not the case and Ho-Sang will not need to go through waivers in order to do so. The only scenario that involves Ho-Sang needing to go through waivers would be if he was signed and then sent down to the AHL, which seems very unlikely.
Much of the confusion stems from an old rule where if a player signed midseason, they'd have to pass through waivers. Evgeni Nabokov fell victim to this when he signed with the Detroit Red Wings in 2011 but never played a game for them because the New York Islanders picked him up on re-entry waivers.
Fortunately for whichever team gets Ho-Sang's services after the Olympics, they won't have to worry about the 26-year-old needing to clear waivers to join their team.
