Kyle Okposo News & Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

May 29

New York Post

columnist Larry Brooks

"Brian Rafalski, who retired this week following an 11-year career as an upper- echelon defenseman with the Devils and Red Wings, once took considerably less money to stay in New Jersey than he would have received on the open market after a qualifying-offer snafu would have set him free. It was the same scenario for John Madden, the outstanding checking center who is pondering retirement himself after an 11-season career that also began with the Cup champion 1999-2000 Devils. Back then, those decisions served to demonstrate the strength of the New Jersey program and organization that produced three championship teams and another finalist in a nine-season span from 1995-2003. Now, nearly a"

Isles sign Okposo to five-year, $14M contract

May 26

New York Post

"The Islanders continued backing up their plan of building around their young core yesterday, locking up forward Kyle Okposo with a five-year contract worth $14 million. Less than two weeks ago, Isles general manager Garth Snow gave a five-year, $15 million contract to Michael Grabner, and in mid-season he signed Matt Moulson to a three-year deal worth $9.4 million. Grabner and Okposo, both 23 years old, were set to be restricted free agents this off-season, and instead of extending qualifying offers to keep them, Snow made long-term financial commitments. This from a team whose future on Long Island is still in flux, as a plan for a new arena is being readied for a vote by Nassau County"

Okposo makes debut for Islanders

January 21

New York Post

"The Islanders have forward Kyle Okposo in the lineup for the first time this season. The 22-year-old right wing, second on the team last season with 52 points, took the ice Thursday night for the game against the Washington Capitals. Okposo missed the Islanders' first 44 games after he tore the labrum in his right shoulder during training camp in September and underwent surgery. Okposo, the No. 7 pick in the 2006 Draft, has 39 goals and 96 points in 154 NHL game over parts of three seasons."

Okposo to make Islanders return Thursday

January 20

New York Post

"Kyle Okposo's toughest opponent the first three months of the hockey season has been boredom. The Islanders forward has missed the first 44 games of the season following shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum suffered in late September, days before his season was to begin. Okposo will make his season debut Thursday night when the Islanders play host to the Capitals. "Just bored a lot, watched a lot of hockey, anything I can do to pass the time," Okposo said in an interview posted on the team's website."

Shoulder surgery to sideline Isles' Okposo indefinitely

September 29

NHL.com

"The New York Islanders suffered their second devastating blow this week and it's still early. The team announced Tuesday that forward Kyle Okposo's ailing right shoulder will require surgery that will keep him out indefinitely. Newsday is reporting that Okposo suffered a torn labrum and will miss 2-3 months. This news comes roughly 48 hours after the team announced that defenseman Mark Streit would miss the bulk of the season after undergoing surgery to repair damage to his left shoulder that is reported to be a torn rotator cuff and labrum. The Islanders have now lost both of their alternate captains to extended shoulder injuries and the season hasn't even started."

Scuffling Okposo passed over for U.S. squad

January 2

New York Post

"A disappointing first half to Kyle Okposo's second full NHL season didn't get any better yesterday when he was passed over for the U.S. Olympic Team for next month's Games in Vancouver. The 21-year-old Minnesotan has been held to just six goals, but his solid all-around play made him a candidate for Team USA general manager Brian Burke's squad. Islanders coach Scott Gordon is also an assistant on the team. But Islanders GM Garth Snow, though disappointed for Okposo, wasn't discouraged by the news. "For Kyle, it's disappointing because I know making the team was one of the goals he set this year," Snow said after the team was announced following the NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park. "But"

St. Paul native Kyle Okposo back with Islanders after H1N1, concussion

November 21

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Other than getting run over by Derek Boogaard, few things are feared more by NHL players these days than concussions or swine flu. Kyle Okposo has dealt with both. A native of St. Paul who played a season and a half at the University of Minnesota before signing with the New York Islanders, Okposo suffered a concussion during an exhibition game in September, then was hit by the H1N1 virus earlier this month. He was out about 10 days with the concussion before the season began, then came back strong with six points in his first six games. The H1N1, he said, caused his heart to skip a beat. "You're just like, 'Oh, boy,' " he said. "It's not terrible," he explained after the Islanders' morning"

Isles' Okposo sits out with swine flu

November 11

New York Post

"Just in time for a seven-game road trip, Kyle Okposo became the second Islander to come down with swine flu. Okposo, perhaps the team's top all-around player, was diagnosed yesterday and figures to miss most of the trip. Doug Weight was out for three games last month with the same illness, which has hit several teams around the league. To make matters worse for the Isles, who begin their trip tonight against the Capitals and are trying to stay relevant in the Eastern Conference, they also learned yesterday that Weight, who they previously thought would be out 7-10 days with an upper-body injury, will be gone for 4-6 weeks. The absence of both forwards likely means more ice time for Blake"