KYLE OKPOSO TO BRIDGEPORT
Will play for Sound Tigers at Coliseum this weekend
Playing for your Sound Tigers at the Coliseum on Friday and Saturday: Kyle Okposo, who embraced the opportunity more than a month ago in a conversation with us. This should have no effect on KO joining Team USA in time for the Worlds. Comments on Okposo in this thread, Lottery in next.
58 Responses to “KYLE OKPOSO TO BRIDGEPORT
Will play for Sound Tigers at Coliseum this weekend”
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Wow - they are not pulling any punches. They’ll have half the Isles roster playing in the first round.
good for me since i will be going to both games this weekend…why the heck not i guess. the more he plays the better he will get.
Before anyone asks, KO is not on the clear day list, but he can play since Blake Comeau is injured.
This should do wonders for the walk up crowd if there are tickets available.
Most of the Tigers played in the NHL this year, so this only make sense. too bad Streit is unavailable…
DUMB idea. He will gain nothing. I don’t wanna hear he will get “playoff” experience. He is an NHL player, not an AHL player. Only thing he will gain is bad habits and maybe get injured.
I have to agree with Comment (6)…KO established himself as an above average NHL forward over the last half of this year, and returning to Bridgeport (where he hasn’t been all year) is kind of silly, even if it’s to sell tickets…I say this even though I already have my tickets to these games
#6 - He has just over 80 NHL games under his belt. this will no doubt help him. Sound Tigers play the same system as Islanders. WIN-WIN! fans and Kyle. He can get injured walking..so that can not be an issue
Kevin #6, bad habits?
When you’re 20 yo, you play as much as possible. He hasn’t even played a full season. I say this is a great opportunity to win some games and get a good feeling going into the offseason. If possible, I’d get Bailey on that team as well.
You want him to play more this summer? Then send him to the World Championships. Much higher level of competition. I see nothing good coming from this. Who cares if he wins AHL playoff games? He’s won NCAA playoff games and USHL playoff games and youth hockey playoff games in his life. It is such a bogus argument saying he needs playoff experience. The only playoff experience that matters is what he will HOPEFULLY get one day in the NHL with HOPEFULLY the NEW YORK Islanders.
I don’t think it’s as much “playoff experience” as playing/winning experience. KO’s a young guy, having him play a couple of games now and possibly dominating could be very good for a young kid. If he plays at the WC, he’ll likely be a 3rd-4th liner with minimal time. I say that KO should play as much as possible over the next month or two. Get rid of the thought of ending the season on a bad note. Just playing is great experience.
and what about if it take 3 more years…
if it takes three more years it takes three more years. I don’t understand what your point is. Why don’t we send him down to play on a mens league team this summer. He will get tooons of playing time and will win tons of games and most likely win a championship and a free t-shirt! Cause apparently the level of play is not as important as just winning.
I think it’s a pretty bad idea for a guy who was injured early in the year, and who was injured recently to risk any further injury while playing minor league hockey while he played on an NHL roster all year.
This was his first complete season in the NHL and he’s already going to be playing in the World’s …how many games does he have to play this year? What will he learn by playing in a minor league playoff game? He’s been competing against - and dominating - NHL players …that’s like David Wright playing in the Little League World series to gain playoff experience …
maybe garth figures since the big club won’t be in the playoffs anytime soon, why not let kyle get some playoff games in where he can.
just joking guys. hopefully okposo does well.
KO will play 2 games in the AHL, I don’t understand what the problem with that is. He’ll go to the World Championships next week. The 2 games at the Coli are for the fans mostly. In terms of development, it should be more like a couple of intense practices for KO. I don’t see a problem with that.
he probably plays these two games and then heads over to switzerland. i view this as preperation for the world championships. team usa wants him fully back from injury and nyi want b’port to win so he plays this weekend.
Just read on the IIHF site that Streit’s going to the Worlds as well.
I see Kevin Fitz’s point about bad habits…pulling moves on AHL defensemen that would get him leveled against NHLers. Experience is most valuable when you’re playing against people your level or better…in any sport, hobby, etc.
if its only 2 games then i will subdue my criticism as i dont want to see him being overworked
speaking of- does anyone else think streit shouldnt be playing in the worlds after the all the minutes he logged and the injury he suffered late in the season
i know he said he’s never felt better because he was only playing one position???(nevermind you it was double the minutes per game), but i think thats bs and hes just feeling over obligated to play for his country since they are the host. i hope this does not come back to haunt us next year
to 6 and 7…ask mike richards and jeff carter who going to the ahl playoffs helped them!
seriously do you guys COMPLAIN ABOUT EVERYTHING…
Bad idea period. Hate it. KO is WAY too valuable to the NYI to be doing this. The WC are a little different - but also not without risk. The AHL playoffs are far more physical than the WC and KO is at far greater risk at injury there. The WC has a greater risk/reward benefit because of the world class talent he will be surrounded with and the larger ice surface. The risk/reward for AHL playoffs is just not worth it in my eyes.
why the concern? These guys are PRO athelets this is what they do. If we were good they would be playing 2 more months of hockey. I say let them play. Do you want to turn these guys into baseball players who are the biggest pu##ies in all of sports??
Let Kyle Play !!!
Good experience for him.
You can argue this all day, but there are a couple points worth mentioning. First, Kyle told CB that he was looking forward to playing for Bridgeport in the playoffs prior to the Worlds becoming a reality, so it’s quite possible that they mentioned to him about these two games and he asked to play.
Second, and this one might be hard for the die-hard NYI fans to understand, the Sound Tigers are basically a better version of Gordon’s Islanders. I’m not saying that you can compare them player by player, but they play Gordon’s system way better then the big club. A guy like Jon Sim is tearing it up down here and not because he’s way better then your average AHL player (which he is), but partially because the system works here and he’s been taking advantage of it. The AHL isn’t that big of a step down and the current BST team would probably be able to beat a few of the World teams.
I think everyone is missing another side of this story. We can all agree that KO instantly makes the Sound Tigers better right? Well doesn’t that help their chances of going futher into the playoffs therefore helping the development of our other minor league players? The more games they play the better it is for the Islanders. The more “big game” experience they get the better for the Islanders. This whole ‘lets put him in a protective cocoon until next season’ mentality is shortsighted in my opinion. He’s young and should be working as much as possible to accelerate his growth. Also people are acting as if the team is forcing him to play and he’s sitting there hanging his head about it. Does everyone remember when we were twenty? I know when my season was over I would’ve been pshyched if they asked me to play in a playoff type atmosphere with my friends.
I think you make him play simply because when the Isles start making a run for the cup you going to need to know just how much energy it takes as you get deeper and deeper
The current BST team could probably beat the current Islander team, this i not bad at all and its good practice in pressure games.
Wow , first time in history an NHL team was a farm team for an AHL team! I hope we developed enough players for the Sound Tigers this year!
Not sure if this is a coincidence, but the past 3-4 seasons, the Bruins organization would always put their young guns from the big club, on the P-Bruins clear day roster. In ‘06-’07, they had guys like Kessel on the clear day roster even though he never played a minute in Providence. That being said, playing in the AHL playoffs is no reward for making the NHL. There’s nothing left to accomplish for the player in the AHL. He’s an NHLer now, treat him as such.
hey… look at how kessel worked out, huh?
Is Danis going to play for Bpt as well?
Schultz — #30 — no, they’re actually trying to win the Calder Cup.
I agree with 23, 26 & 27. Just do not get hurt young man. Enjoy the playoff atmosphere. KO and Sim on the powerplay will be excellent. Sim is not an AHL player, as he has shown. He has taken the demotion like a man and is playing out his contract. Good for him.
I agree with you there, Cruicky. Its crazy that Jon Sim is in the AHL, but it certainly is gold for BPT.
Just like many people think that AHLers have no business playing at the NHL level until they’re ready, so I feel that Okposo has no business playing in the AHL playoffs after spending all season in the NHL. Methinks it’s a ploy to sell tickets. Hey Garth, draft Tavares and you’ll sell a lot MORE tickets!
By Okposo playing for B-Port before Team USA is strictly to see how he has recovered from injuries, and to prepare him for Worlds. I like the idea, and if he gives the Sound Tigers a two game cushion, I would thank him, and then ask him to come back for the Calder Cup Finals if Team USA does horrible in the tournament.
#21: yes they do. it’s hard to read sometimes
Getzlaf and Perry were sent down to help Anaheim’s farm win a playoff series when they were down 3-2 just three years ago, after spending the majority of the year with the Ducks. I don’t see the big deal. If it’s in the rules and they think it’s good for the kid to get big time experience like the Calder Cup Playoffs I’m all for it. It isn’t cheating or bad for his development.
I am dead set against any Isles player playing in any non-Isles game, whether it be the AHL or the worlds.
Any time a player steps on the ice, his career could be over by the end of the shift. I’d rather risk this possibility in a game that means something to the pro team, not their minor league affiliate or the player themselves.
CB, now that Comeau & McClean are injured do you have a revised projection of the Roster Friday Night? Any chance of seeing Jeff or Bergie in one of those games?
Jeff and Bergie have one way contracts. They are not eligible.
Love the idea! Okposo only played 65 games this year and played 9 games last year so he has not even played 82 games in the nhl. What if the islanders were in the playoffs? Hes young but he still needs to get his conditioning and physical play up. Playing more games will only help. Hes a young kid, let him play some extra games so he can better handle it when the Islanders make the playoffs. Worried about him getting injuries? He has a greater chance of getting hurt in a much more physical nhl playoff game. Also lets say he hurts his groin again, he has all summer to get better. There is nothing to complain about.
Ok, when I first heard about this I was furious…now that it’s a reality I’m even more furious…there is absolutely ZERO positive that comes from sending KO to bridgeport…except an injury…this kid is the franchise (unless JT joins the party) and sending him into the minor league frey at this point is simply a weak and frugal attempt to sell extra tickets to a minor league game that nobody cares about…we just finished with the worst record in the NHL, and for the most part we’re taking it pretty well…this is really tipping me over the edge…if he gets hurt in this or any other minor lague game I will organize a full revolt!!
This is great news. It’ll be a wonderful experience for him moving forward. The Sound Tigers are as good as anyone in the AHL and they have a shot to go very deep this year.
Eh, I don’t trust stunts like this.
Will Hillen & KO gain from these two games? Probably not.
So, without any tangible benefit to the players, this is for the fans? We put the health and development of these guys behind selling a few more seats, eh?
This just smacks of PT Barnum stuff and not real player development or management.
Good lord. A day in Isles country wouldn’t be complete without someone threatening to jump out the window…
The kid is playing a whole two games. He probably considers it a tune-up for the Worlds, and, for all we know, he asked to play. KO is hardly the first rookie NHL’er to go back and get some time in the AHL playoffs. As for the threat of injury…professional hockey players play hockey. That’s what they do. Our kids will not develop much in the off-season if we insist on putting them on the shelf in bubble-wrap.
good call by the Isles.
Second quessers all round here, huh? Too bad Tamby cant get shipped down, and then STAY DOWN!
If KO gains experience in the Bridge, good for him. Its all good.
I get a kick out of everyone getting their poo tied in knots over every little thing the Islanders do. I don’t know this for certain, but don’t you think that the Islanders approached KO and asked him to play in BP before sending him there for 2 games? Of course he wants to play, let him play, he’s 20 yrs old. Get over it!
Everyone we can stop debating over Hedman and Tavares….We will be trading the pick to Toronto. The nut Brian Burke can’t keep his mouth shut about how he is going to trade down to get Tavares.
burke is trying to appease his tavares worshiping fans. the chances of him pulling off a trade for tavares are very slim and i’m sure that burke knows this. he just looks good in tml fans eyes now. i do not understand the critism that some here are giving nyi for the okposo (preperation for the wc’s) and hillen (should have been in the ahl all year) moves. nyi can’t sneeze w/o being heavily critisized.
The way the Islanders played the last 2 weeks, this is a promotion for Kyle.
How many other teams do this with top young prospects? Is this common or unique to the Islanders?
That article made me feel like I was exposed to a nerve gas agent … just sick to my stomach.
(55): See comments 31 & 40 as examples. this is in no way “unique” to the Islanders, it is a relatively common situation.
Daily Mac - post 40 - Portland lost that series in which they added Perry, Penner, and Getzlaf. Lost it in 7 games to, I believe, Hershey.