Okposo sees potential for Cup in Buffalo; signs 7 year deal
After Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray couldn’t get his hands on Steven Stamkos, he went after what was felt to be the next best thing for the Sabres in Kyle Okposo and he got him.
Okposo, 28, spent nine years of his hockey career with the New York Islanders. Now he heads upstate as a member of the Buffalo Sabres for the next seven years with a contract totaling $42-million. According to Darren Dreger of TSN, the Okposo’s contract is “… heavily front loaded. Signing bonus beyond 50% of total.” We’re still waiting for confirmation of the details.
In an interview with TSN, Okposo said, “I think they have a chance to win a Cup. That’s the ultimate goal. That’s why we play the game. They have a really good of group of young players that are only going to get better.”
On the offensive side, that could be true. He joins a young but talented offensive core; one that the team has 54-percent of their cap space tied up in, including Okposo, who is now the second highest paid Buffalo player.
For those wondering if the $42-million is worth it, take a look at what he could potentially provide to the team.
Okposo’s 64 points with the New York Islanders is higher than the total of the Sabres highest scorer, Ryan O’Reilly, with 60 points.
From John Vogt of The Buffalo News:
Okposo’s game has blossomed with the New York Islanders during the last three seasons. The strong right winger has shown a soft touch with the puck, totaling 67 goals, 117 assists and 184 points in 201 games. Those numbers put him among the league’s best – free agent or otherwise.
During the three-season span from 2013-14 to 2015-16, Okposo recorded .88 points per game. It ranks 17th in the NHL. Stamkos is just ahead at .90, good for 14th. Crosby leads the way at 1.15 points per game.
Yes, we’ve seen this from Pegulaville before. Throw all the money at their best options only to regret the decisions later.
Yet, this is different.
Tim Murray is managing expectations by building from within and acquiring short-term deals, like Dmitry Kulikov, even if it means a higher cap hit. This allows him more flexibility as he builds the assets for the future. A future that looks incredibly bright if things continue as they appear to be.
From Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News:
He’s not the type of player that is easy to find. Okposo is a consistent 20-goal scorer and I can only assume he’ll get a chance to play with either Jack Eichel or Ryan O’Reilly in Buffalo. Toss in Evander Kane, Sam Reinhart, Tyler Ennis and maybe Jimmy Vesey, and you’ve got a pretty good top-six that will be very good in a year or two.
And with a blueline that boasts rising star Rasmus Ristolainen and veterans such as Zach Bogosian and the recently acquired Dmitry Kulikov, the Sabres’ outlook is getting positive, coming out of a rebuild.
But there’s more to Okposo’s signing than just the benefit of getting the Minnesota native’s services. For a franchise that wants to be a contender and has the full support of owner Terry Pegula, this is a signal that Buffalo as a market can attract in-demand free agents and talent.
– – – – – – –
Jen Neale is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter!
