Why no love for Okposo (still) ?

[Menwithouthat tricks]

Listened to two XM commentators and read two USA prognosticators, and none of them think Okposo is going to make the team. Both USA Today people have the US right wings being Kane/Kessel/Oshie and Callahan. I can see that happening if Oshie and Callahan are helping to pick the rest of the team. (There's more justification for Pommeville or Bobby Ryan and no one has them making it either). Based on the years that Oshie and Callahan are having, there's a better case for Chris Higgins to be picked over them.

The way I see it playing out, if Okposo is indeed snubbed, he'll eventually come in as an injury replacement for Parise or Callahan or maybe somebody else.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...pics-hockey-sochi-choices-mike-brehm/4261135/

 

[rikker]

KO has improved in literally every aspect of the game, from a year ago.

he's 25 and just hitting his stride. we should be glad that he is, and not fretting too much about him making the U.S. squad.

let's hope he continues to improve.

 

[Goombha]

He's simplified his game and simplified it even more with Vanek coming here.

Do we see him try and toe drag anymore? How about trying to do any moves around defenders? Nope. And that was a massive flaw in his game.

He's still a poor passer and doesn't have great hands, but he doesn't need them right now (which is fine, not all players can have everything).

Did you happen to watch the game against the B's last night?

 

[blinkman360]

I hope the season Okposo is having right now as a 25 year old gives fans a little more patience with Bailey. Prior to this year they both were very similar production-wise. They would both show flashes of brilliance and would both then disappear for long stretches. Okposo seems to have found consistency. I don't see why Bailey can't.

I'm still hoping to see Cap shuffle up the lines a bit:

Bailey - Tavares - Okposo
Vanek - Strome - Nelson
Grabner - Nielsen - Clutterbuck
Martin - Cizikas - McDonald
x - Regin; Boulton

Give it to me. At least for a few games. Get Vanek on a different line where he can be THE guy. It gives Strome a legit goal scoring threat who can take full advantage of his playmaking ability. Getting Bailey on the JT line is almost an automatic to get him going. Not to mention being with Okposo, who he has always had great chemistry with.

IMO, it's at least worth a shot. I don't see the value in continuing to play the highly skilled Strome on the 3rd line.

 

[slovakia18]

Vanek-Strome i will see it!
But Vanek have a Hot Streak in moment 8 Points the last 6 Games. The only think is, he must shot more Goals.But it doesn't matter wen the other (Opkoso,Nielsen,Tavares) Scores.

 

[PK Cronin]

Did you happen to watch the game against the B's last night?

So we're going to start using 1 game to evaluate a players game throughout their career?

Did you see him through the first 15 games this season? He was absolutely brutal.

 

[Goombha]

I hope the season Okposo is having right now as a 25 year old gives fans a little more patience with Bailey. Prior to this year they both were very similar production-wise. They would both show flashes of brilliance and would both then disappear for long stretches. Okposo seems to have found consistency. I don't see why Bailey can't.

I'm still hoping to see Cap shuffle up the lines a bit:

Bailey - Tavares - Okposo
Vanek - Strome - Nelson
Grabner - Nielsen - Clutterbuck
Martin - Cizikas - McDonald
x - Regin; Boulton

Give it to me. At least for a few games. Get Vanek on a different line where he can be THE guy. It gives Strome a legit goal scoring threat who can take full advantage of his playmaking ability. Getting Bailey on the JT line is almost an automatic to get him going. Not to mention being with Okposo, who he has always had great chemistry with.

IMO, it's at least worth a shot. I don't see the value in continuing to play the highly skilled Strome on the 3rd line.

Love the second line, but Bailey really scares the crap out of me. Where will he be when Okposo digs a puck out of the corner and feeds the slot...getting beer and peanuts? Strome does need to be playing with more skilled players, I'm with you on that.

 

[Goombha]

So we're going to start using 1 game to evaluate a players game throughout their career?

Did you see him through the first 15 games this season? He was absolutely brutal.

I don't think he's a great passer by any stretch, I just couldn't resist that rare gem. Brutal? Sure.

 

[IslesRock4]

I hope the season Okposo is having right now as a 25 year old gives fans a little more patience with Bailey. Prior to this year they both were very similar production-wise. They would both show flashes of brilliance and would both then disappear for long stretches. Okposo seems to have found consistency. I don't see why Bailey can't.

I'm still hoping to see Cap shuffle up the lines a bit:

Bailey - Tavares - Okposo
Vanek - Strome - Nelson
Grabner - Nielsen - Clutterbuck
Martin - Cizikas - McDonald
x - Regin; Boulton

Give it to me. At least for a few games. Get Vanek on a different line where he can be THE guy. It gives Strome a legit goal scoring threat who can take full advantage of his playmaking ability. Getting Bailey on the JT line is almost an automatic to get him going. Not to mention being with Okposo, who he has always had great chemistry with.

IMO, it's at least worth a shot. I don't see the value in continuing to play the highly skilled Strome on the 3rd line.

We're on the same page with Vanek and Strome, so I would love those lines (although I'd personally switch Bailey and Nelson). Please Cappy. Can't complain about secondary scoring when you're setting lines 2-4 up for failure.

I also have similar feelings for Bailey. He sucks total ass right now and needs to see Okposo's sports psychologist before his career goes to the dumps. I don't think he'll ever have Okposo's 70+ point offensive potential, but he has enough talent to chip in 50 and be a strong 2 way winger. It's unfortunate that he seems to have the mental strength of a 13 year old girl. When he's on, he's on. I still have faith in him, but it's more on him than it is the coaching staff to fix him. He's been getting top 6 minutes for quite a while. I would say he needs a change of scenery to help his career, but his contract is unmovable. Got to put the pieces together here, Josh, or you're going to have a short NHL career.

 

[19NYSports91]

I can't believe Wheeler made it, what a disgrace.

 

[19NYSports91]

So we're going to start using 1 game to evaluate a players game throughout their career?

Did you see him through the first 15 games this season? He was absolutely brutal.

Give it a ****ing rest already. He wasn't BRUTAL through his first 15 games. He had a couple of brutal games though. Your boy Bailey has been ****ING BRUTAL the whole season, but you're constantly making excuses for him.

Through the first 15 games this season he had 19 points. What the **** are you talking about.

 

[IslesRock4]

I can't believe Wheeler made it, what a disgrace.

I'm still holding out a little hope for Kyle, but I do not expect him to make it. Seems like everything was pre-determined.

We can see Poile isn't very good at evaluating forwards with the Preds. Not surprised he will pick a bunch of non-point producers for USA, especially if they leave off Bobby Ryan too! An absolute disgrace for USA hockey fans. Bunch of grinders won't win a medal.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

....Get Vanek on a different line where he can be THE guy. It gives Strome a legit goal scoring threat who can take full advantage of his playmaking ability. Getting Bailey on the JT line is almost an automatic to get him going. Not to mention being with Okposo, who he has always had great chemistry with.

We're on the same page with Vanek and Strome, so I would love those lines (although I'd personally switch Bailey and Nelson). ...

I would like to see them shifted as well as an experiment. I still want to see Cizikas with Tavares for 5 games in the same kind of sandbox test, but you can't currently because:
- The top line is clicking, and I get the sense that there is more upside chemistry on the way from the addition of Vanek. I would fire my coach for busting that line up right now. If we somehow sign Vanek, and then the top line goes cold, then mix and match.
- Guessing due to the lack of info from Garf, Vanek won't be signing here, so pumping his value up for a deadline trade is far more important than killing his stats by placing him on a 2nd scoring unit centered by a guy who is not a rookie on fire. The possibility of getting a top 4 defenseman or a real goaltender with a few years left before he is 100 needs to be enhanced, not eroded.
- Put Bailey with some skilled strength to make him a little more comfy on the ice and also distract the other team opening ice for him. It would also encourage him to be more physical, which he greatly needs. He isn't Nielsen thin and currently CdH is more physical than Josh. When he went on fire briefly at the end of last season he was more engaged physically. It was the same key for Okposo's, other reasons not excluded.

 

[19NYSports91]

I'm still holding out a little hope for Kyle, but I do not expect him to make it. Seems like everything was pre-determined.

We can see Poile isn't very good at evaluating forwards with the Preds. Not surprised he will pick a bunch of non-point producers for USA, especially if they leave off Bobby Ryan too! An absolute disgrace for USA hockey fans. Bunch of grinders won't win a medal.

There's no way Ryan is going to be left off the roster, I don't believe that for a second.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

So we're going to start using 1 game to evaluate a players game throughout their career?

Did you see him through the first 15 games this season? He was absolutely brutal.

Or his career. He has never been even average at passing. I do think he can improve somewhat if he plays with guys like Tavares and Vanek but passing involves vision and awareness. Awareness can improve by playing with better people, but vision? I've observed that to be what it is forever. As a coach, what have you observed?

 

[PK Cronin]

Give it a ****ing rest already. He wasn't BRUTAL through his first 15 games. He had a couple of brutal games though. Your boy Bailey has been ****ING BRUTAL the whole season, but you're constantly making excuses for him.

Through the first 15 games this season he had 19 points. What the **** are you talking about.

19 points means he was making crisp passes? Sorry, I didn't realize that just because you're getting points means that you're making crisp passes.

He was atrociously bad in the early goings of the season with passing behind or into players' feet. There were many posts about it during GDT's.

And I was praising Okposo for his play this season, and said historically and during the beginning of the season he was/is a poor passer. It's not like I ripped him apart.

There's no way Ryan is going to be left off the roster, I don't believe that for a second.

On a few lists he's been left off.

 

[Goombha]

There's no way Ryan is going to be left off the roster, I don't believe that for a second.

I've been reading a lot of articles that are saying he WILL indeed be left off - and I'm as dumbfounded as you. I have to hear it tonight to believe it.

 

[19NYSports91]

I've been reading a lot of articles that are saying he WILL indeed be left off - and I'm as dumbfounded as you. I have to hear it tonight to believe it.

If Ryan Callahan or Dustin Brown make the team over Ryan/Okposo, that would be insane. Callahan and Brown are easily one of the most overrated players in the league.

 

[PK Cronin]

If Ryan Callahan or Dustin Brown make the team over Ryan/Okposo, that would be insane. Callahan and Brown are easily one of the most overrated players in the league.

Not that it should be a basis for making the team this year, but both were quite good during their last playoff stint.

I'd really like Brown to be on the team, because he'll provide a physical edge in a tournament that doesn't feature much of it.

 

[Goombha]

Or his career. He has never been even average at passing. I do think he can improve somewhat if he plays with guys like Tavares and Vanek but passing involves vision and awareness. Awareness can improve by playing with better people, but vision? I've observed that to be what it is forever. As a coach, what have you observed?

Is he a better passer today than he was a year ago? He's a much improved player, certainly the passing part of his game must have improved - even in the slightest - no? He's excecuting not Moulsoning.

Nonetheless, the only point of this thread was simply to give him a little respect. There was no secret agenda - I'm not the president of the Kyle Okposo fan club. I was merely overwhelmed at the time reading post after post about how bad he is. I guess I just got tired of people (going to great and ridiculous lengths) trying to disprove his improvement. Still holding out hope he makes the olympic team (but not holding my breath).

 

[Strome18]

I hope the season Okposo is having right now as a 25 year old gives fans a little more patience with Bailey. Prior to this year they both were very similar production-wise. They would both show flashes of brilliance and would both then disappear for long stretches. Okposo seems to have found consistency. I don't see why Bailey can't.

I'm still hoping to see Cap shuffle up the lines a bit:

Bailey - Tavares - Okposo
Vanek - Strome - Nelson
Grabner - Nielsen - Clutterbuck
Martin - Cizikas - McDonald
x - Regin; Boulton

Give it to me. At least for a few games. Get Vanek on a different line where he can be THE guy. It gives Strome a legit goal scoring threat who can take full advantage of his playmaking ability. Getting Bailey on the JT line is almost an automatic to get him going. Not to mention being with Okposo, who he has always had great chemistry with.

IMO, it's at least worth a shot. I don't see the value in continuing to play the highly skilled Strome on the 3rd line.

Bailey / Grabner need to contribute in other areas on this team. The wish would be on the scoring side of the stat sheet. They are needed as the 2nd line scoring. If Nielsen is doing well, right now, we are ok. When Nielsen is not, we need Grabner / Bailey to bury the biscuit in the basket to take the pressure off the 1st line.

I agree that Vanek on the 2nd line would balance out the scoring but Bailey would be better on the 2nd line. He could play the 3rd man back or learn to grind like OKie.

I like to see

Nelson - JT - Clutterbuck
Vanek - Strome - Okposo
Grabner - Nielsen - Bailey
Martin - Cizikas - CMAC

***Regin - Boulton

With Lee, Sundstrom, Halmo, Persson in the minors, you can see what players/spots will feel the pressure from new guys coming up.

This may balance the scoring on all 3 lines and hopefully get Bailey / Grabner going.

 

[19NYSports91]

Not that it should be a basis for making the team this year, but both were quite good during their last playoff stint.

I'd really like Brown to be on the team, because he'll provide a physical edge in a tournament that doesn't feature much of it.

Neither of them were good in last years playoffs and are struggling this season as well. I rather have Oshie any day over Brown and Callahan as the 4th line RW.

Playoffs:
Callahan- 12 games, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points (2nd line)
Brown- 18 games, 3 goals, 1 assist, 4 points (Playing with Kopistar)

This season:
Callahan- 24 games, 7 goals, 6 assists, 13 points
Brown- 40 games, 7 goals, 6 assists, 13 points

 

[Goombha]

Not that it should be a basis for making the team this year, but both were quite good during their last playoff stint.

I'd really like Brown to be on the team, because he'll provide a physical edge in a tournament that doesn't feature much of it.

I've been reading a lot about the olympic sitch, and the most glaring ommission from peoples minds seems to be the "what have you done for me lately" factor. They're calling for some very good players who are having anywhere from poor to mediocre first halves. I don't know about you, but my money always goes on the hot hand. IMO, Okposo is the right call.

 

[CREW99AW]

Neither of them were good in last years playoffs and are struggling this season as well. I rather have Oshie any day over Brown and Callahan as the 4th line RW.

Playoffs:
Callahan- 12 games, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points (2nd line)
Brown- 18 games, 3 goals, 1 assist, 4 points (Playing with Kopistar)

This season:
Callahan- 24 games, 7 goals, 6 assists, 13 points
Brown- 40 games, 7 goals, 6 assists, 13 points

There is a preseason comment from Poile, who said a lot of weight will be given to the first few months of the 2013-2014 season,how guys perform.
What a friggin disgrace if Okposo with 40pts and playing so well,is left off the roster while the struggling Callahan/Brown are selected.
Why bother going through the orientation camp and scouting players, if guys are holding roster spots regardless of how bad they are performing?

 

[Jester9881]

Okposo got boned, hardcore