(left) Kyle Okposo #9 played on the same line as Rhett Rakhshani & Tyler Ruegsegger in the World Junior Championships last week in the Czech RepublicFrom: Denver Post
by Mike Chambers
Last month, New York Islanders general manager Garth Snow blasted University of Minnesota coach Don Lucia by saying Gophers sophomore Kyle Okposo, a first-round Islanders draft pick, wasn't "being coached properly" in Minneapolis.
Snow unloaded on the highly respected Lucia after advising Okposo to sign with his NHL club in a rare midseason move.
"We entrusted (Lucia) to turn him into a better hockey player, and it wasn't happening," Snow told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "We feel more comfortable in him developing right under our watch."
The University of Denver can only hope Snow doesn't fire away at Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky over the development of sophomore forward Rhett Rakhshani.
Rakhshani is DU's fourth-leading scorer with 14 points (seven goals) in 16 games. He was a fourth-round Isles selection (100th overall) in the 2006 draft. Okposo was sixth overall.
"What happened with Okposo in signing with the Islanders set a precedent, and hopefully it won't happen a lot," Gwozdecky said. "I'd like to think that the great majority of NHL teams respect these young players and the development process that their draftees are going through, and once the college hockey season ends, the page will turn." (Read rest of article)
Snow unloaded on the highly respected Lucia after advising Okposo to sign with his NHL club in a rare midseason move.
"We entrusted (Lucia) to turn him into a better hockey player, and it wasn't happening," Snow told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "We feel more comfortable in him developing right under our watch."
The University of Denver can only hope Snow doesn't fire away at Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky over the development of sophomore forward Rhett Rakhshani.
Rakhshani is DU's fourth-leading scorer with 14 points (seven goals) in 16 games. He was a fourth-round Isles selection (100th overall) in the 2006 draft. Okposo was sixth overall.
"What happened with Okposo in signing with the Islanders set a precedent, and hopefully it won't happen a lot," Gwozdecky said. "I'd like to think that the great majority of NHL teams respect these young players and the development process that their draftees are going through, and once the college hockey season ends, the page will turn." (Read rest of article)
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