New York Islanders Ex-Players Nielsen and Okposo Get All-Star Nods

The New York Islanders will find no comfort in the NHL’s full 11-man roster for this season’s All-Star Game. As two of their former players made the cut.

The NHL has today officially announced the full rosters for the All-Satr Game. As we all knew, John Tavares is going to represent the New York Islanders. And along with him are his former teammates Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen.

Both will represent their new clubs, the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings in the Atlantic division, less than a year after either being cut loose (in Okposo’s case) or leaving the club (in Nielsen’s).

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It stings a bit to see these guys now playing with other teams and being voted as All-Stars in the process. Sure, this isn’t the end of season All-Star voting that happens that no-one outside of Ken Campbell pays attention to. But it still means something to be the sole representatives of their respective franchises at a marquee NHL event celebrating marquee NHL talent.

As Advertised

There’s no Ryan O’Reilly, or Jack Eichel for the Buffalo Sabres. Just Kyle Okposo. There’s no Henrik Zetterberg or Dylan Larkin for Detroit. Just Frans Nielsen.

Both have been nothing less than “as advertised” since joining their new clubs. Which just adds insult to injury. They’re both exactly what we knew they were, and now they’re gone. Replaced inadequately, or not at all.

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In his time with the Islanders, Okposo totaled 369 points in 529 games, averaging 0.697 points per game. With the Sabres, Okposo’s putting up 0.711 points per game with 27 in his first 38 games.

Nielsen is doing what Nielsen does for the Red Wings.His .55 points per game is right around what he produces every year. And much like his time with the Islanders he putting in work on both sides of the ice and in all situations with an average of 2:37 of power play time and 1:54 of penalty kill time per game. 

These guys aren’t doing anything different for their new clubs then what they were doing here alongside Tavares. And now they are All-Stars. They just had the audacity to have their contracts expire and request to be paid according to their skillset. Shame.

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It’s going to be either’s first time under the spotlight of the All-Star Game. I hope they enjoy it. I almost wish they couldn’t go, because it probably means they’d still be with us. But that’s just selfish.