OT: Kyle Okposo quits Gophs mid-season to join Islanders...

Sparlimb · Post by **Sparlimb** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:57 pm

An odd move in the middle of a season. Wonder if he couldn't find his way to class...

PASTRAPIDSFAN · Post by **PASTRAPIDSFAN** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 1:58 pm

Sparlimb wrote:An odd move in the middle of a season. Wonder if he couldn't find his way to class...

That is a very odd move,why now.

boblee · Post by **boblee** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:03 pm

Must be upset with the direction of the team.

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:06 pm

boblee wrote:Must be upset with the direction of the team.

A lot of that had to do with him! Hes been in a slump since Tyler Hirsch went off his meds...

O-townClown · Post by **O-townClown** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:08 pm

Is this the team Chris Simon used to play for?

Joey (nine toes) Marcoux · Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:14 pm

Its like...its like.....its like a "Dream come True"

OOOPPS-------wrong thread

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:15 pm

Did I miss something? Is this news posted anywhere?

Neutron 14 · Post by **Neutron 14** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:30 pm

http://gopherpuck.blogspot.com/

wbmd · Post by **wbmd** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:39 pm

Neutron 14 wrote:http://gopherpuck.blogspot.com/

But, is it actually official?

Gopher Blog · Post by **Gopher Blog** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:58 pm

wbmd wrote:
Neutron 14 wrote:http://gopherpuck.blogspot.com/
But, is it actually official?

Yes, I got confirmation of it from one of the Gopher coaches.

mnorth5 · Post by **mnorth5** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 2:59 pm

I caught part of KFAN today and heard Jeff Dubay say....Do Not Quote Me but..... I hear from many sources that it is Rumored that he is leaving..He also said he will stick his nose around (jeff) and come up with a better answer for us.. that was about 11:45am or so.. I haven't heard anything else from any other news site.....other than this

ya-man · Post by **ya-man** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:02 pm

Can the Gophers bring in a USHL player for the 2nd semester? It would be great to see Taylor Matson...

flatontheice · Post by **flatontheice** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:07 pm

ya-man wrote:Can the Gophers bring in a USHL player for the 2nd semester? It would be great to see Taylor Matson...

Yes they can. UND did it a few years back with a goalie.

NHL07cheif · Post by **NHL07cheif** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:17 pm

the gophers will also get Mike Carman back from being academically ineligable.....i'm not sure im liking Okposo's move

State Champ 97 · Post by **State Champ 97** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:17 pm

What a selfish, bull___ thing to do. Anybody know the reasons for this besides money and a tough stretch by the team.

Walter Sojack · Post by **Walter Sojack** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:21 pm

I heard on KFAN earlier this afternoon that it was indeed confirmed from a most reliable source.

Reasoning? Well, my understanding was that he came back for his sophomore year for the sole reason to bring a national championship to the gophs. Looks like that isn't going to happen, and I personally can't blame him for moving on and bettering his career. However, I am also huge believer in fulfilling and being responsible for commitments that you make. No doubt this was probably a tough decision for him to make.

BERG RENOLZ · Post by **BERG RENOLZ** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:27 pm

What a slap in the face...ouch!

mnorth5 · Post by **mnorth5** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:38 pm

Here it is...

Okposo to leave ‘U’ hockey
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007 by jchismar
Sophomore forward Kyle Okposo is leaving the Minnesota men’s hockey team, a University athletics department spokesman confirmed this afternoon.

Coach Don Lucia is expected to release a statement around 4 p.m. today. He will offer no further comment, the spokesman said.

Okposo is expected to sign with the New York Islanders, who drafted him in the first-round, seventh overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

A WCHA all-rookie team member last year tallying 30 points in 27 league games, Okposo this season had 11 points through Minnesota’s first 18 games. That total was good for third on the team behind Blake Wheeler (15 points) and Ben Gordon (14).

In an exhibition tune-up for the U-20 World Junior Championships on Tuesday night against Western Michigan, Okposo scored a power-play goal helping the United States to a 4-2 victory. Calls to Okposo were not immediately returned.

– Brian Stensaas

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Zamboni Guy · Post by **Zamboni Guy** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:52 pm

The news is starting to get confirmed on the NHL level too....Newsday: On the Islanders Beat

Govs93 · Post by **Govs93** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 3:58 pm

Zamboni Guy wrote:The news is starting to get confirmed on the NHL level too....Newsday: On the Islanders Beat

He hasn't even signed yet?!

I have to think that there's something in the hopper, but it's almost a little bit more of a slap in the face if he's not going to be playing somewhere in the next day or two.

What a garbage thing to do. This kid needs to grow a pair... in a hurry.

wbhockey27 · Post by **wbhockey27** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:06 pm

way to give up on your team okposo, I wonder what Flynn, Fairchild, and Carman are thinking about their fellow teammate right now considering they are on the same USA under 20 team together for the next couple weeks. I'm curious as to who contacted to who first whether Okposo contacted the Isles, or if the Isles contacted him. Hopefully this press conference will answer some questions we all have. But this is definately a selfish move on his part, show some loyalty and stick with you club through the end of the season. He will always be known as the quitter now, and nobody will remember the sweet move he pulled off against the mavericks last season.

packerboy · Post by **packerboy** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:13 pm

1. Money makes the world go around

2. When a kid shows he can stand out he is immediatley transformed by hockey people into an individual and team is an after thought. I have seen this as early as Mites. It continues on with Select this and AAA that and Elite and NTDP etc etc.

Now he is a bum for going to the NHL?

What do you expect?

bus_driver · Post by **bus_driver** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:15 pm

I always thought Okposo was a classy player, but now I am not sure.
Is he backing out on the US world junior team also?

wbhockey27 · Post by **wbhockey27** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:18 pm

packerboy - he is a bum because he quit on his teammates the coaching staff and the gopher hockey fans halfway through the season. In any level of professional anything sports related job related anything, no matter how bad things get you stick through it and ride it out. If you were to walk out of the office at noon and say your never coming back, what would people think? It's not the gophs are playing that bad, they just came off of a nice win against the fighting sue, and now they are getting carman back for the rest of the way and were poised for a second half run.

Undercover Hockey Lover · Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:22 pm

Sparlimb wrote:An odd move in the middle of a season. Wonder if he couldn't find his way to class...

Me thinks the first post has it...that noon advanced basket weaving class might have been too early and too tough.

HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

OT: Kyle Okposo quits Gophs mid-season to join Islanders...

OT: Kyle Okposo quits Gophs mid-season to join Islanders...

Re: OT: Kyle Okposo quits Gophs mid-season to join Islanders

post 8951

Re: post 8951

open roster spot maybe

Re: OT: Kyle Okposo quits Gophs mid-season to join Islanders