Okposo welcomes the challenge to be a scorer

Here is a story I found on former Gopher Kyle Okposo. It will be interesting to see where this story leads this next season. If Okposo ends up staying in the NHL I think it does lessen the blow of him leaving the Gophers. Then it would prove he was ready to make the next step to the NHL.

Okposo welcomes the challenge to be a scorer
BY GREG LOGAN | greg.logan@newsday.com
July 17, 2008
Kyle Okposo is only nine games into his NHL career and just seven months removed from the University of Minnesota, but when he walks into Islanders training camp in September, all eyes will be watching to see if he can become an offensive force.

As the only two NHL roster players in the prospect camp this week at Iceworks in Syosset, Okposo and Blake Comeau have taken a very business-like approach to leading their opposing teams, but they have yet to hit the net in two scrimmages. There's pressure, but Okposo said he simply views it as an exciting challenge.

"People are looking at you to produce, and you have to fill the void," Okposo said. "I really want to do that. I feel like I have the right mind-set, and I know Blake has the right mindset. He had a good year last year, and he's looking to build on that. We've been working really hard this offseason to prepare ourselves to be those guys and chip in more than we did last year."

In his nine games, Okposo managed goals against the Devils and Rangers and totaled five points. The experience, he said, "helped me a lot. It made me realize I can play with those guys, and have an impact. It's a little bit reassuring to have those first few games under my

Okposo proved he could score at Minnesota and with the U.S. team in world junior competitions, but most consider him as much of a playmaker as a pure goal scorer. Can he become the sniper Isles fans crave?

Embracing the challenge, Okposo said, "The No. 1 thing I've worked on this summer is goal scoring. A lot of it is a mental game. You say, 'I'm a goal scorer, and I'm going to bury every puck around the net.'

"Here in minicamp, it's not going my way, but I still have that mentality. I'm not getting down on myself like maybe I had during previous slumps. I'm still telling myself, 'I'm a goal scorer,' and that's when you get chances. Sometimes, they don't go in, but if you're getting six, seven shots a night, they're bound to go in sometime."