Kyle Okposo to make NHL Debute? We will soon find out.

(AP Photo)
It appears that the Kyle Okposo era might begin as soon as next Tuesday night when the islanders play the Toronto Maple Leafs. I might have to tune to see how his NHL debute goes.

BY GREG LOGAN
(read the rest of the story here)
Eight players who have dressed for a game in Bridgeport this season are on the Islanders' current roster. But not the one on whom Islanders fans are pinning their hopes for the future.

That's about to change. No official announcement has been made, but all indications suggest Kyle Okposo, the seventh overall pick in the 2006 draft, likely will make his Islanders debut against Toronto Tuesday night at Nassau Coliseum.

Okposo left the University of Minnesota in January to sign a three-year entry level deal with the Isles. If he plays 10 NHL games, that deal begins this season. If he plays nine or less, next season is considered the first year of his contract. After the Isles' game Saturday night in Montreal, they will have only nine games left on the schedule, and since they are 13th in the Eastern Conference playoff race, it makes sense to evaluate Okposo against NHL competition to aid planning for next season.

Coach Ted Nolan said it's up to general manager Garth Snow to make the decision, but his smile said it all when asked if he would like to see Okposo come up. "Definitely," Nolan said. "Why not? But he's playing pretty well down there, and maybe a good finish down there [would be best]. He could just ride it out and try to get that team in the playoffs and give him a little taste. But here, it would also be good."

Golden Gophers coach Don Lucia claimed the Islanders pressured Okposo to go pro at the time of his signing. Snow fired back angrily, saying the 6-foot-1, 203-pound right wing could get better coaching and speed his development in the Isles' organization.

It was well-known in Minneapolis that Okposo was unhappy playing for Lucia and was languishing. But in 27 games with Bridgeport, Okposo is off to a solid start with eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points. He might not be the finisher the Islanders need at this point, but his playmaking abilities have been impressive and he requires a lot of defensive attention.