In late January, the New York Islanders announced they’d be without Kyle Okposo for 6-8 weeks with an upper-body injury.
Today, we learned what that injury is.
Okposo suffered a torn retina, per ESPN New York. It’s unclear when or how the injury occurred; he practiced with the club right up ‘til Jan. 20 (just before the All-Star break) and, following the break, news of the injury came as a surprise to head coach Jack Capuano.
“I kind of had an idea before the break, but it definitely comes as a shock,” Capuano said on Jan. 26. “Kyle’s play is dictating how we go and the pace we play with.”
Okoposo is the team’s second-leading scorer this season, with 44 points through 46 games, and the Isles have struggled a bit without him -- they’ve lost two straight (getting outscored 9-3 by Boston and Detroit) after beating the Rangers 4-1 in their first game sans-Okposo on Jan. 27.