Live from the Draft Party

We will bring you the news as it happens. As of right now, the Islanders are due to pick fifth. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Edmonton has chosen Taylor Hall at #1 and we expect Tyler Seguin has gone at #2 to Boston. But we're only really concerned with the Isles. And we'll update again with their pick.

UPDATE #2: Isles are on the clock. Columbus just took Ryan Johansen at #4.

DRAFT PICK: Swiss winger Nino Niederreitter is the selection. There was some crowd grumbling, as most fans expected Cam Fowler (eventually taken #12 by Anaheim) to be the man.

By 9 PM, the draft party has mostly emptied out and the Isles will pick again tomorrow at #35 overall. Comments and questions are welcomed below.

...And the Regular Season Schedule Too

The regular season schedule is now available, as per the Islanders' official website.

Draft, Draft Party, and Preseason Schedule Announced!

This is a quick reminder that on Friday (6/25) evening at 7 PM EDT the 2010 NHL Entry Draft will be taking place. Unfortunately Okposo Net will not be traveling to Los Angeles to witness the selections live, but we will be live at the Nassau Coliseum draft party to bring you the Isles' pick as it comes in.

Speaking of the party, if you don't already have your free ticket(s) reserved (and why wouldn't you?) please head over to this link and reserve them now. Like we said, they're free, and it's a fun way to spend part of your Friday night.

In other news, the team announced their preseason schedule today. They'll be playing at various locations mentioned in the release, which is nice for some of our out-of-town fans.

We look forward to seeing you on Friday as the Islanders take another step in their building process. And no, we have no idea what Garth might do or who the team might select. That alone should be reason enough to show up at the Coliseum!

One-on-One With Kyle Okposo

While we've been dormant for a while, our friends in the blogosphere have been hard at work. One friend in particular, Rob McGowan of The Hockey Writers, submitted this terrific interview with Kyle from earlier today. Rob asks Kyle about various subjects, including his experience with the US team in Europe, his summer plans, and who he's pulling for in the Stanley Cup Finals. It's a nice piece, especially at this time of year when the only talk surrounding the Isles is that of the upcoming entry draft later this month. Enjoy it, and many thanks to Rob for allowing us to share it with you.

IIHF World Championships Underway

Kyle participated in the opening game of the 74th IIHF World Championship in Germany tonight (5/7). The game, which took place in a football (soccer) stadium in Gelsenkirchen, saw a crowd of 77,803! It set a new world record for ice hockey attendance, and we'll have to ask Kyle about the experience when he returns to the States. He played over 20 minutes, but didn't record a point. Germany beat the United States 2-1 in overtime.

Islanders Will Pick 5th

There was no change in the draft lottery order, as it remained purely by inverse standings order tonight (4/13). The Islanders finished with 79 points on the season, 5th from bottom. The Edmonton Oilers, the league's worst team, will have the #1 overall selection.

The NHL entry draft will take place in Los Angeles on June 25–26, 2010.

Another Season Completed

While the Islanders won't be going to the playoffs this season, it was a season of important strides. After finishing with a league worst 61 points in 2008-2009, the Isles improved by 18 points in the standings. They also claimed a 30 goal scorer in Matt Moulson, and had two other young players (John Tavares and Kyle Okposo) finish with over 50 points. And even with all of these promising things, they will still hold the likely 5th overall selection in this summer's entry draft, another chance to add young talent to the team.

Coach Scott Gordon was in a talkative mood after Sunday evening's (4/11) game, the final one of the season. While the Isles lost to Pittsburgh by a 6-5 score in overtime, the coach seemed upbeat about the future, as he should be. He claimed to be comfortable with the level of familiarity he has now established with his players, something he never had in his freshman season. He was also pleased that certain players such as Matt Moulson, had been rewarded for their hard work right out of training camp.

As for Kyle, his 3 points (1 G, 2 A) on Sunday pushed him past the 50 point threshold for the first time in his career. He finishes 2009-2010 with 19 goals and 33 assists in 80 games. Watching him all season, though, makes you feel as if his 52 points could have easily been 60 or 65 with a little better luck. However 52 is nothing to sneeze at and we fully expect for Kyle to improve on that number next season as his game continues to mature.

Finally, while he may not win the league's top rookie award, John Tavares had a heck of season (24 goals and 30 assists for 54 points). Look for his scoring to become even more consistent next season as well.

Over the summer the Islanders will have work to do. Gordon rightfully pointed out that the team has several expiring contracts that will need to be dealt with, and the coach mentioned that he hopes his squad will have a little more size next season.

We wish the Islanders players and staff a healthy offseason and hope that 2010-2011 is finally the year when the franchise reclaims its place among the league's elite teams.