Confirmed with Link: Sabres re-sign Captain Kyle Okposo to a 1 year deal worth $2.5M

[HogtownSabresfan]

The paranoia on this forum over Pegula and money never ceases to amaze me.

Ryan O'Reilly was traded one day before his $7.5 million bonus was due. It clearly changed the value of the trade. And, yes, good fortune was on our side because St. Louis' third-best prospect at the time is likely the best now. (We deserve the break). We haven't used cap room to get picks. We didn't do retention on Montour to up his value.

I have zero evidence, but I wouldn't say Pegula isn't a guy willing to spend, I just think at times he says no for whatever reason (sometimes wrong) and at other times he has demanded spending (sometimes wrong too) on wasteful crap.

We missed some extra picks using our cap room last year but really mostly negligible stuff with a 3rd mostly likely thing we capture.

This year is a much more important barometer. If Pegula is demanding strong arguments for where his money goes, that's fine. If it's a blanket no spend (and it's not), that would be worrisome.

 

[Selanne00008]

Sabres won't be near the cap for the season ... Just need to complain about something ?

Yeah pretty much. It's more him taking up the roster spot for poor production. But yeah, 2.5M has got to be overpaid right? After being overpaid for 6 years by a large amount.

 

[Chainshot]

Yeah pretty much. It's more him taking up the roster spot for poor production. But yeah, 2.5M has got to be overpaid right? After being overpaid for 6 years by a large amount.

For his role, his production wasn't a bad thing. Not everyone gets to start in the offensive end of the rink and Okposo's line was good at starting in their own end but ending their shift in the offensive zone. Defensively, they were actually pretty good which for this team is even more surprising.

 

[K8fool]

Kyle will not disappoint. Above and beyond as well as being there for granato.. Game 83.. we'll be glad w he and girgs..

 

[BloFan4Life]

I can't believe Okposo was re-signed to this team, and on top of that, he is given PP time. Even with countless first round picks over the last few years, we are still putting Okposo on the PP. This is why I wanted Okposo no where near this team. I knew Donny isn't a strong enough coach to put him in the press box.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

I still can't believe people can't see the value he brings in being one of the few shot suppressors on the team

 

[Jacob582]

I still can't believe people can't see the value he brings in being one of the few shot suppressors on the team

The coach sees it. He had more ice time than five other forwards.


Also, KO and Girgensons seem to be creating scoring chances without the help of Krebs.

 

[Gabrielor]

He's a great man and great leader, but him and Z look like they're toast out there.

Sabres are relying pretty heavy on 2 lines right now. 28-21 are just trying not to get scored on, and 19-71-whoever are trying not to get benched for 50% of the game.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Your line of reasoning is defeated when you see the minutes that they play against the opposing top lines. Their job is to suppress their offense and flip the ice, they've been very good at it. Not everyone, thanks be, is a Pronman spinny spinny skate to nowhere special

 

[JLewyB]

Your line of reasoning is defeated when you see the minutes that they play against the opposing top lines. Their job is to suppress their offense and flip the ice, they've been very good at it. Not everyone, thanks be, is a Pronman spinny spinny skate to nowhere special

This. Im more concerned that Jost looks better than Krebs on that line. Krebs has fallen off a cliff.

 

[Ehran]

Resigning Kyle Okposo wasn't a problem.

The problem is that other than KO and Girgensons the Sabres have failed to develop anyone(!) that can play the shot suppression game these two do, that is necessary to win.

 

[joshjull]

He's a great man and great leader, but him and Z look like they're toast out there.

Sabres are relying pretty heavy on 2 lines right now. 28-21 are just trying not to get scored on, and 19-71-whoever are trying not to get benched for 50% of the game.

Girgs/Okposo

43mins with Jost
OZS% -> 39%
HDCF% -> 58% (7 for/5 against)
SCF% —> 64% (14 for/8 against)
GF —-> 1
GA —> 0

41 mins with Krebs
OZS% —-> 50%
HDCF% -> 29% (5 for/15 against)
SCF% —-> 22% (7 for/25 against)
GF ——> 0
GA ——> 2

They’ve played tougher minutes with much better results with Jost in these samples. Those two aren’t the issue.


As an aside………….Why are you lumping Girgs with Okposo anyway? Girgs plays with speed and is effective as ever at what he’s good at. Kyle has obviously lost a step in the last few years but can still be effective in the right situation (see above).

Girgs is 6yrs younger than Okposo. I get the impression some of you think he’s in his mid 30s like KO instead of 29yrs old. I know he’s been here a long time but come on now.

 

[BloFan4Life]

Literally could not disagree more. This is the one guarantee you get with KO. Say what you will about his production or speed, but leadership is unquestionable.

Heck of a leader you got here. I will ask it again, what results can show that Okposo is a good captain, because he ain't a good hockey player.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Heck of a leader you got here. I will ask it again, what results can show that Okposo is a good captain, because he ain't a good hockey player.

His on-ice has fallen off a cliff, but then again so has most of the team. Hard to say that the 4th liner's inability to score has been our biggest issue. I still think his life experience is valuable on a team of children.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

His on-ice has fallen off a cliff, but then again so has most of the team. Hard to say that the 4th liner's inability to score has been our biggest issue. I still think his life experience is valuable on a team of children.

He isn't being used like a 4th liner -- that's the problem. The 4th line is a rotating cast of Biro, Rosen, Jost, Krebs, Oloffson. Okposo plays more minutes than each of them every single game.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

He isn't being used like a 4th liner -- that's the problem. The 4th line is a rotating cast of Biro, Rosen, Jost, Krebs, Oloffson. Okposo plays more minutes than each of them every single game.

That's its own problem, but I again can't look at the team's performance and think, "You know who the problem here is? Okposo."

 

[buffalowing88]

With the legacy of losing now attached to his entire tenure here, I think he'll make an ideal GM candidate to replace Adams or assistant coach to replace Ellis next season!

 

[slip]

That's its own problem, but I again can't look at the team's performance and think, "You know who the problem here is? Okposo."

Lets see:

Power, Samuelsson, Cozens and Krebs have all taken big steps backwards,

Jeff Skinner is back to old habit of just outright murdering possession.

Tuch and Thompson battling injury and erratic production.

Goaltending as inconsistent as its been in years.

Injuries to valuable middle six guys in Quinn, Girgensons, and Greenway.

Shiny new UFA signing Connor Clifton underwhelming us on a nightly basis.

The collapse of the PP.

Face-off % in the toilet -- again.

Weak starts, leading to Buffalo possessing the worst 1st period goal differential in the league.

The non-existence of home ice advantage for this franchise.

A timid GM who twiddles his thumbs as Rome burns.

In short, Okposo doesn't even crack the top 10, or even 15, things wrong with this team. A paradigmatic case of missing the forest for the trees. Let's stay on the targets that matter when dissecting our failures.

 

[BloFan4Life]

Literally could not disagree more. This is the one guarantee you get with KO. Say what you will about his production or speed, but leadership is unquestionable.

I think it has all been confirmed by these player exit interviews that Okposo was an absolute useless captain.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

I think it has all been confirmed by these player exit interviews that Okposo was an absolute useless captain.

1 - Did you have my post from May of last year bookmarked?
2 - From what I heard of the exit interviews, players seemed to be questioning Donnie and the coaching staff more than KO.

 

[Snippit]

This bump gave me a heart attack

 

[Jimmybarndoor2]

They booed, let’s punish either fans. No more sticky raise salute. That’s the ticket. Because we are not winning, let’s make sure to tell the press. Good leadership concentrates on the improvement of the team. Not this bs
He was not a good leader. He was junk

This is just leftover stuff from the love of the “best fourth line in hockey” bs.

 

[toddkaz]

1 - Did you have my post from May of last year bookmarked?
2 - From what I heard of the exit interviews, players seemed to be questioning Donnie and the coaching staff more than KO.

I heard a lot of players talk about a lack of leadership and accountability. If that isn't also on the captain aside from Granato then who else?

 

[paulmm3]

I think the problem with Okposo the hockey player began after he had that ICU admission and sort of near death experience a couple years back. I believe it changed him - and fair enough. He seemed to be much more in "just happy to be alive, happy to be here" mode afterwards. I'd probably feel the same way. But I think that's when he lost the hyper competitiveness and "I would cut off my left arm to win" burning desire that the Sabres needed.

 

[BloFan4Life]

1 - Did you have my post from May of last year bookmarked?
2 - From what I heard of the exit interviews, players seemed to be questioning Donnie and the coaching staff more than KO.

No, I don't post much so remember when posters say stupid things.

KO ain't even on the team anymore, so it would be strange to call him out individually, but also, a coach and captain would have been of equal blame for the crap the players were saying.