No More Maroon But Plenty Of Gold

Okposo Departing Gopher Hockey Team to Sign With New York Islanders:

University of Minnesota sophomore Kyle Okposo has chosen to forgo the remainder of the 2007-08 season and his career with the Golden Gophers to sign a contract with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League.

Okposo was the Islanders' first-round draft choice and the seventh player taken overall in the 2006 entry draft. He is the eighth Minnesota player to leave college early for the professional ranks since the end of the 2005-06 season. Okposo is departing today for the Czech Republic as a member of the United States' under-20 national team that is competing at the International Ice Hockey Federation world championships and will join the Islanders following the tournament.

"While I'm disappointed Kyle is leaving at this point of the season, his dream has been to play pro hockey," Minnesota coach Don Lucia said. "It is unfortunate that the Islanders put him in a very difficult position. I think our team has made strides the last few weeks and I'm looking forward to the second half of the season."

It's been a disappointing season so far for the Gophers and for Okposo in particular. It sounds like the Isles were concerned (with good reason) about his development and were pushing him to leave. He probably figures (with good reason) that the Gophers aren't going anywhere so he has little to lose by leaving early.

You never know how these things will work out, but at this point I don't think Okposo is ready for the NHL and could have used at least another half season of college hockey. He's also never going to get those carefree days of college life back either. Playing in the NHL is a job. It pays well, but comes with a lot of responsibility.

And Okposo will likely spend some time with the Islanders AHL affiliate in Bridgetport before he's up for a regular stint in New York. The grind of minor league hockey may cause him to regret his decision on more than a few occasions.

Good luck to Okposo. Let's hope he's another Vanek and not another ____ (fill in the blank with name of one of many college hockey players who left school early and failed to live up to expectations in the NHL).

Somebody should make sure Sisyphus isn't around any sharp objects tonight. A long year for the Gophers just got a little longer.