Kyle Okposo’s decision to leave the University of Minnesota became worthwhile today when the Islanders signed the seventh pick in the 2006 draft to a three-year entry-level contract worth $2.55 million. An NHL source said Okposo received the maximum salary and signing bonus for each year, and if he were to meet all the performance bonuses, the value of the contract would double.
The timing was right for the Islanders, too. By signing Okposo before Jan. 1, the Islanders bought themselves some flexibility to develop the power forward. If Okposo plays nine NHL games or less this season, then, next season will be considered the first year of his three-year contract. If he plays at least 10 NHL games, then this season will be considered the first year of his deal.
Right now, the Islanders simply want Okposo to concentrate on his role with Team USA in the Under-20 World Junior championships in Czech Republic. He had a goal and two assists in their opening victory over Kazakhstan and added an assist in today’s 4-2 win over Switzerland. The competition steps up on Saturday when the U.S. faces Russia in group play.
Okposo will join the Islanders’ organization as soon as Team USA is eliminated from the tournament, which runs through the Jan. 5 championship game. It’s uncertain whether Okposo will report to the NHL team or the Isles’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. Islanders management doesn’t want to rush a 19-year-old player or place any unwarranted expectations on him. But if he gets on a hot streak at the World Junior, it might force them to consider giving him an immediate shot to show what he can do in the NHL.
Regardless of where he starts, Okposo is certain to get some exposure at the NHL level this season just to gauge where he’s at in his development process and what he needs to work on. Whatever problems existed between Okposo and Golden Gophers coach Don Lucia are a thing of the past now. From here on out, all that matters is Okposo’s Islanders future.
COMING IN SATURDAY’S NEWSDAY: Coach Ted Nolan was encouraged by the improvement shown by goaltender Rick DiPietro in his off-ice workout today. Nolan discussed his concern about swelling in DiPietro’s left knee and how he will handle a game-time decision on DiPietro’s status for Saturday’s game against the Devils at the Coliseum. As always, DiPietro is chomping at the bit to face division rival Martin Brodeur.
Comments (18)
I want to see Okposo up here this season, but maybe, considering the contract situation it might be better to make sure he only plays 9 games up here ...thoughts?
Plus, for anyone interested - Tambellini scored 2 more goals tonight for a total of 17 on the year ...I mean I don't know how Nolan can justify keeping him down there any longer ....
The following players have been invisible and for some reason do not attract fan's ire ...well ...here we can start it off ;-)
Sillinger - good face-off guy who was good last year but his age may be catching up to him and is really just a 4th line center at this point
Hunter - really hasn't lived up to his potential goal scoring AT ALL ...kinda dissapointed because I like him - but maybe it's time for him to move on and bring up someone else ....
Don't rush him... Remember Conelly?
"I never enjoy going to Toronto," said Avery, who hails from nearby Pickering, approximately 25 miles away. When asked why, he rattled off three responses.
"Because I don't enjoy hockey-obsessed Canadians; because the exchange rate is not very good; because it's going to cost me a lot of money for tickets for people I don't like."
Goodnight everybody!
**This guy is a pathetic human being.
Thanks Logan for having some faith in the US NATIONAL TEAM. " Okposo will report the islanders when the U.S. is eliminated from the tournament." THANKS MAN. USA all the Way huh?? Guess you dont go by that motto. USA all the way till they are eliminated fits better for you. Nice Faith.
I agree with AZS. Bring up Tambellini and let him play with JoVas and Satan.This team needs SCORING!! I'd bring up Walter too and play him with Bergenheim and Hilbert. Let the KIDS play.I am sick of making the playoffs as an 8th seed and being eliminated in the first round in 5 games.I want to see players with skating ability that can score, not old guys that have to play a tight defensive style because they can't keep up with the Sens and Sabres type of teams. Dubie reminds me of Glenn "Chico" Resch, about the same size goalie as Chico, similar style with the same infectious personality!! Go ISLES!!
I want to win as much as the next guy but I think we all know this team is not Stanley Cup bound ( They are not even close). I say lets take this opportunity to build this team right. I hope we are sellers at the deadline. Lets stock up on young talent. Send Comrie, Satan and anyone else with value to the teams looking to win now that can sacrifice the young talent. Bring up our kids and give them the proper evaluation. Lets see tamby, comeau, bergy, walter, okposo in an extended audition. Lets get the pieces now so as Ricky hits his prime we have the team to surround him with. Who knows even if we stuggle with the kids maybe a stamkos falls in our lap. Anyway just my thoughts what you guys think.
PS Anyone see Figrens goal it was pretty
Jon.
"Thanks Logan for having some faith in the US NATIONAL TEAM. THANKS MAN..... USA all the Way huh?? Guess you dont go by that motto..... Nice Faith."
With all due respect, here are my Top 10 Reasons why I could give a schit about the World Junior Hockey Championships. (WJHC).
10/ESPN doesn't cover THAT either.
9/1980 was the last "Junior" International Hockey Championship for the U.S. that was worth paying attention to.
8/Post 1980, thanks to the poor behavior by the likes of the Roenicke's, Tkaczuk's and Hull's of U.S. Hockey (Nagano), I am not sure if our ugly Americans should be allowed across any border except for Canada.
7/"International Competition"? "USA all the way" you say?
Is Al Qaeda bringing a team this year? No? Then there is no one else I want to see us beat the crap out of.
6/Why would I want my 3 million dollar investment get whacked across the knees by some dirty Swede in a meaningless hockey exhibition designed to promote harmony among harmonious nations?
5/It's not just the same without Al Michael singing Grace Slick and Marty Balin tunes.
4/Names like "Okposo" and "Nafsanjani" (whatever) do not inspire American patriotic fervor in me. But they can get me to lay out a few shekels for an Isles game. Especially since they certainly represent a segment of Long Island's 7 Eleven population.
3/What's wrong with allowing our neighbors to the North a small measure of success in this world and continuing their "dynasty" in this little known event? It's PERFECT from them.
2/Based on the attendance at NVMC the last 2 nights, far more people know what "Miley Cyrus" means than those who know what WJHC means.
1/And, in continuing with the "purely selfish" reasoning, I want to be among a handful of Isles fans in Denver on Jan 5 to see Okposo's debut. It's the only way this two area code away ISLES FAN can have a "one up" on the 10'S OF THOUSANDS of Isles fans back on the Island and elsewhere who would see him in a home debut.("Yeah, I saw him first").
PLEASE?
OOPS, again.
Correction to Number 1.
Should read "only way this two "time zone" away,
not AREA CODE.
Hey, it's late out here too.
If you look at the league now, there are a lot of youngsters playing meaningful minutes, i.e. Patrick Kane, Jon Towes, Erik Johnson, Jack Johnson, Jordan Staal, Anze Kopitar, Crosby, Malkin, etc. I'm a big believer that if you have the skill you should be playing. The only position where the "more seasoning" label holds true is goaltender as I remember a young Rick DiPietro getting completely destroyed his first few years, but look at him now.
I say bring Okposo in here now, give the fans some juice and hopefully he can show us why he is so highly touted.
Yeaah go "dirty" swedes haha!Nice goal by Figren but as much as I wan´t another swede in the lineup we all know that´s not what´s gonna give him a spot,it´s hard work.So come on Robin and "deliver"!
Okposo to Sound Tigers is my choise,let him impress the coachingstaff that way.If he´s good enough he will get the call.
Congrats so far Freddy ....that goal by Figren was recockulous (there is a link on Isles.com for those that haven't seen it) ...I think he's really impressing people at the tourney ...I've read about him but I wasn't aware that he can be this dominate offensively (3g 1a) ...any word on whether he's interested in signing with the Isles sooner or later?
Clearly I'm rooting for Okposo, Rhakshani and team USA but hopefully Figren and Ridderwall can keep it going as well ;-)
Every time I read the suggestion to trade Miro and Sillinger away I want to punch walls. Miro is a great guy and I love him being an Islander. Sillinger is our best faceoff guy and we would never get anything NEAR what he gives us value-wise if we traded him. He is past those days. If either of them were demanding piles of cash thats one thing- but Sillie is just doing his thing- remember the incident with Campoli? He is teaching our younger players- and that is whether some of you realize it or not, very valuable. And as far as Miro goes, if he is willing to resign for a good price, GOOD! Stop shipping them both off in your heads and imagining that we are going to get dozens of top picks for either of them... we wouldnt, and what we got back would never replace what they already bring to the table.
Man- the way some of you would have it, the Islanders would be all friggin prospects and rookies and nobody else! Nobody for them to learn from, nobody to guide them, jeez.
Sillinger - 7g 7a with a -10 in 36 games
Satan - 10g 12a with a -2 in 36 games
Now, let me start with Satan. I like the guy. Has a nose for the net. Is stronger on the puck than he gets credit for. Isn't scared to go to the net - also something he doesn't get enough credit for. But, the reality is that he's going to be a UFA. So, if the Isles are out of a playoff spot it would make sense to try and deal him for a pick in a very deep draft and try and resign him during the offseason if the price is right. As much as I like Satan you can't be afraid to move on to other players ...Satan really hasn't been the #1 sniper the Isles need ...I'm not saying I "want" to deal the guy, but I don't want to see Snow do what he did with Blake, just to see him walk away for nothing ...
Sillinger ...he won't get traded - not because he has no value, but because I believe he still has 2 more years on his contract - which is ubsurd considering his age. I'm all for vets teaching the young guys - but at some point you need to let those young guys get a chance to play. The Isles are very strong on the wing (in prospects) but weak on D and at Center - so it's not like Sillinger is taking anyone's spot - but if he was moved to the 4th line with Park then Walter could be braught up to center the 3rd line with some youth on it. Sillinger's numbers aren't cutting it for the amount of ice time he recieves - and I am aware that he plays against the other teams best lines - but his -10 shows he's not stopping them this year like last year ...maybe he's just getting a tad too old? It happens to the best of us and I think he has looked a tad slower this year and the numbers support it ...
The way some of you would have it the team would be filled with a bunch of old 4th liners getting 1st line minutes with the youth rotting away in the AHL ....the Isles - as they showed last year - can make the playoffs with the "AARP SQUAD" ...but maybe cutting down some of their minutes so guys like Tambellini (17 goals) and Walter could come up and join Bergy and Comeau could help move the Isles along ...plus with Okposo coming ...I mean its time to let go ...
Another guy who should be on his way out - or used differently is Trent Hunter ...
6g 9a with a -15 in 36 games ....
He too is a free agent at the end of the year. I also like him, but I think he's being used wrong. He's on the third line playing against other teams best lines ...when that line has the puck in their offensive zone all they do is cycle forever - which is good because it keeps the other teams best guys from having the puck - but it's not playing to Hunter's strengths - his size and good hands ...he should be coming off the boards with authority driving towards the net like he did when he 1st came up ...his -15 is also showing that maybe he's not doing a great job ...the Isles have a lot of decisions to make as the deadline nears ...
One last thing ....
People are so scared of letting the youth play but I don't know why ...what's this team's biggest problem? They're last in the league in scoring - not 2nd to last - last! So, what do we have to lose? The only reason we're winning is because of DP ...
I can understand if the Isles were on top of the league or on the verge of winning the cup but what are we doing here people?? We're spinning our wheels in place because we're scared to see what happens if we play youth ...its not like we can score any less lol!
Some people can't see the big picture ...these players can't lead a team to the cup ...some of them would be nice role players BUT we have a full team of role players!! I'll be there tonight rooting my heart out for them ...but there's a reason we're all excited for Okposo - because he represents what we all want - a young player who brings us hope for a brighter future - well, the Isles actually have a couple of people who could help but people are too scared so they'd rather see Park on the 1st line and rather see Sillinger, and Hunter and Co. eat up spots and win just enough to sneak in instead of building a team that can worry about winning the Cup - not making desperate trades to sneak in on the last day of the season on a poke check by Yoda ...
So shortsided ...
It seems a bit pre-mature to be discussing trades when most teams are taking a wait and see approach. I think most of the big deals will take place right before the deadline. Anyone know the deadline date this year? I think it is in February?? At that point in time you can assess where you are at and determine if it's in your best interest to get something for players such as Satan, Hunter & Silly. If Satan is looking for a Blake like deal with 5 years and $5 million + then I think it would be a mistake to keep him. Hunter I like and I would like to see him get more opportunities to shoot the puck. He is a rare breed in the sense that he is among league leaders in hits and league leaders in least penalty minutes. To me he is the mold of a Nolan type player. He gives 110% every game and every shift, plays hard but plays clean.
Why the hell is Miro Satan placed into this supposedly "geriatric" category by some of you people? He is like a year and a half older than Richard Park- WTF???
FRANZ FRANZ FRANZ !! ;p)