December 19, 2007
Okposo Bolts for NHL Mid-Season
CHN Staff Report
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota sophomore Kyle Okposo has chosen to forgo the remainder of the 2007-08 season and his career with the Golden Gophers to sign a contract with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League.
Okposo was the Islanders' first-round draft choice and the seventh player taken overall in the 2006 entry draft. He is the eighth Minnesota player to leave college early for the professional ranks since the end of the 2005-06 season.
Okposo is departing today for the Czech Republic as a member of the United States World Junior team team. He will join the Islanders following the tournament.
"While I'm disappointed Kyle is leaving at this point of the season, his dream has been to play pro hockey," Minnesota coach Don Lucia said in a statement. "It is unfortunate that the Islanders put him in a very difficult position. I think our team has made strides the last few weeks and I'm looking forward to the second half of the season."
A St. Paul native who attended Shattuck St. Mary's in Faribault, Minn., Okposo burst onto the collegiate scene last season with 19 goals and 21 assists in 40 games as a freshman. He earned second-team All-WCHA honors and was named to the league's All-Rookie Team. Amid speculation that he would leave for the NHL after his freshman season, Okposo announced on June 6 that he would return to the Gophers.
Okposo had a slow start to the 2007-08 season with an eight-game scoreless streak after a three-point game in the season opener against Rensselaer. He scored points in six of the last nine games, totaling seven goals and four assists over the team's first 18 games as Minnesota currently owns a 9-8-1 record.
Sorry to see him go so early. Just like other players in previous seasons, he still needs another year or two to develop into pro material. But, it's Kyle's life, hopefully he kicks ass in the NHL.
Dec 19 2007, 8:22 pm by jon seattle wa
I kinew that he would probably leave after this season, but I never thought that he would leave in the middle of the season. I do wish Kyle the best of luck and I hope he lights the lamp many times this season and the ones to come. I also think that maybe college hockey should have a rule that you have to be in school for at least two years before you can leave for the pros, like the one college football has.
Dec 20 2007, 5:17 am by Mike Sauk Rapds MN
I have on other thing to add. I have been a New York Hater for my whole life. This just gives me another reason to hate New York.
Dec 20 2007, 6:11 am by MIke Sauk Rapids MN
It's not college football's rule - it's the NFL's rule. College sports can't make players do anything like that. The NHL would need to make that rule, and it's never going to happen. Players are all different ages when they enter college anyhow.
Dec 20 2007, 7:18 am by CHN Editor
A very selfish move by Okposo. Lots of guys leave, but not like this. It looks to me like he is bailing out when the going got tough. Congrats to NYI. They need another one of those "teamplayer-types" in their lineup.
Dec 20 2007, 10:41 am by Rex Fargo, ND
Bob Dylan is credited with having said, "Money doesn't talk... it SCREAMS!"
Or as WJR Radio (Detroit) morning man J. P. McCarthy was fond of saying, "It's not the money... it's the AMOUNT."
Dec 21 2007, 8:54 am by Nelson, Lansing MI
It's not the leaving college early that is the problem here -- it's quitting on your teammates in the middle of the season!
Snow wants to blame Lucia for Okposo's season, but how much more difficult is it for a kid to perform when the pro team continues to pressure him during his season? That certainly isn't Lucia's fault!
Now, I half expect to hear that Snow pushes to have Okposo leave the World Junior team in the middle of the tournament to sign even EARLIER with the Islanders!
Dec 23 2007, 11:16 am by
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