Kyle Okposo out with shoulder injury
New York Islanders forward Kyle Okposo is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury. The youngster was held out of practice on Friday with the injury, which is said to require surgery. However, the 22-year-old is going to be re-evaluated after the weekend.
Okposo was an important part to the Islanders growth last season. The 22-year-old was on the team’s first line with rookie John Tavares and Matt Moulson. Together they formed the number one offensive unit for the Islanders, who struggled with depth scoring
last year.
Okposo had a successful season in 2009-10 as a sophomore. The Islanders are certain to struggle offensively without his skill up front.
The fact that the injury is said to require surgery is not a good sign for the Islanders organization. The prospect of having to go under the knife will certainly mean that Okposo will miss significant time this season.
The Islanders were already reeling after, their best defenseman and offensive player, Mark Streit suffered a shoulder injury last week. The loss of Streit and Okposo means New York has already lost two of their five first line players from last year before
the 2010-11 season has started.
The loss of Streit has given 19-year-old prospect Calvin de Haan an opportunity to make the team, while the injury to Okposo will likely promote 20-year-old right winger Josh Bailey to first line duty.
Okposo was drafted 7th overall by the Islanders in the 2006 National Hockey League entry draft. The Minnesota native played two years at the University of Minnesota before joining the Islanders Organization in 2007-08. Okposo split his first season
between the organization’s American Hockey League affiliate the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the Islanders.
Last season with New York, Okposo notched 19 goals and 33 assists for 52 points.
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