Sabres sign RW Kyle Okposo for 7 years, $42 mill

[Eleven]

Sabres bring in the #1 free agent, a guy who literally would have been the team's top scorer last year, a guy in the prime of his career, and some people are like meh.

 

lololol.  He outscored our entire team last year.  I know we all have battered wives syndrome a bit here, but come on, let yourself be happy to a few minutes.  You deserve it.

 

Please stick around.

[3putt]

Its not plague and pestilence so I guess I dont hate it.   Dont see the plan though.  

[IKnowPhysics]

Sabres bring in the #1 free agent, a guy who literally would have been the team's top scorer last year, a guy in the prime of his career, and some people are like meh.

 

lololol.  He outscored our entire team last year.  I know we all have battered wives syndrome a bit here, but come on, let yourself be happy to a few minutes.  You deserve it.

 

 

I'm not entirely meh, and certainly not for the reason you stated.

 

But how is Okposo away from Tavares?

[darksabre]

I'm not entirely meh, and certainly not for the reason you stated.

 

But how is Okposo away from Tavares?

 

How is Okposo with Eichel or Reinhart?

 

I mean, are we pretending we don't have good Centers?

[Taro T]

We just signed one of the top free agents to a decent contract and people already want to get rid of the guy?

But can he REALLY play C or is he just saying that to get signed?

 

 

:p

 

Not a huge fan of Okposo, but the price isn't horrible & if Princess Phaneuf & the ghost of Datsyuk can get moved, he'll only be here while useful. In TM we trust.

[Eleven]

How is Okposo with Eichel or Reinhart?

 

I mean, are we pretending we don't have good Centers?

 

I think he'll be with O'Reilly.

[woods-racer]

Some nice fancy stats on GR's web site in an article on KO written before the free agent market opened up.

 

And...

 

Foooooook Yaaaah !

 

I'm watchin the Sabres in the playoffs next spring with a legit top 6!

[darksabre]

I think he'll be with O'Reilly.

 

Either way, it's not like we're sticking Okposo with Ville Leino. 

[Thorner]

I think he'll be with O'Reilly.

Yup. It's Ennis - ROR - Okposo and X - Eichel - Reinhart. The X is Vesey, or Girgensons.

[Eleven]

Yup. It's Ennis - ROR - Okposo and X - Eichel - Reinhart. The X is Vesey, or Girgensons.

 

The X is Kane.  Either Ennis or Vesey will play with ROR and Okposo and the other will not be a Sabre.

Edited July 1, 2016 by Eleven

[That Aud Smell]

I mean, are we pretending we don't have good Centers?

 

Fook's sake.

[qwksndmonster]

The X is Kane.

You didn't see enough of Eichel and Kane together already?  Are you a masochist?

[Norcal]

But can he REALLY play C or is he just saying that to get signed?

 

 

:p

 

Not a huge fan of Okposo, but the price isn't horrible & if Princess Phaneuf & the ghost of Datsyuk can get moved, he'll only be here while useful. In TM we trust.

Is Okposo a center? ???? Edited July 1, 2016 by Murray's Rats

[LGR4GM]

I think he'll be with O'Reilly.

I think so too. Ennis - ROR - Okposo

 

Vesey (screw it he signs) - Eichel - Reinharted

 

Kane - Larsson - Gionta

 

Foligno - Zemgus - Justin Bailey

[Thorner]

The X is Kane.  Either Ennis or Vesey will play with ROR and Okposo and the other will not be a Sabre.

I don't think Kane plays with Eichel. I think Vesey plays there if he signs, and top line LW is Ennis or Kane. That's my guess. If Vesey doesn't sign I think that spot next to Eichel goes to Girgs.

[sabills]

I'm not entirely meh, and certainly not for the reason you stated.

 

But how is Okposo away from Tavares?

The answer, if you listen to Matthew Coller and the guys from sportsnet is "still very good". Numbers guys seem to be of the opinion that his numbers were not predicated on Tavares.

[GoPre]

I think so too. Ennis - ROR - Okposo

 

Vesey (screw it he signs) - Eichel - Reinharted

 

Kane - Larsson - Gionta

 

Foligno - Zemgus - Justin Bailey

 

No Moulson?  :cry: lol

 

Okposo has said Moulson is one of the reasons he decided to come to Buffalo. 

 

Could also see Bailey playing third line and Gionta, as the season moves along, moved to the 4th line. 

[beerme1]

Gifers, it's time for the mind blown and it's happening stuff. Or maybe one now and one for Vesey.

[mjd1001]

I'm happy with the deal (was afraid it would be over $7 million per yer), but I'm just OK with the player.   I think Okposo is good, but I'm not super high on him.

[Kruppstahl]

Not a huge fan of the player, but the cap hit isn't too bad and the K is front loaded.  Can back out of the deal down the road when his play drops off.

 

I'm more excited that we were able to land a big FA fish despite a lot of competition.

 

Maybe  Buffalo is slowly turning into a hockey destination for everyone, even big names.

[LGR4GM]

No Moulson?  :cry: lol

 

Okposo has said Moulson is one of the reasons he decided to come to Buffalo. 

 

Could also see Bailey playing third line and Gionta, as the season moves along, moved to the 4th line. 

Matty Mo has to prove to me he can play on a line with ROR and Okposo because I want slow footed Mouslon nowhere near Jacky. 

We just added a 20 goals scorer... so remember how in the Stamkos thread, we discussed Buffalo needed 30 additional goals next year to be in the top 10 of goals... so happy right now. 

[GoPre]

Matty Mo has to prove to me he can play on a line with ROR and Okposo because I want slow footed Mouslon nowhere near Jacky. 

We just added a 20 goals scorer... so remember how in the Stamkos thread, we discussed Buffalo needed 30 additional goals next year to be in the top 10 of goals... so happy right now. 

 

I should've worded it differently. I agree w/ you. 

[Taro T]

Is Okposo a center?

Didn't see the :p right? :p

[GrassValleyGreg]

The X is Kane.  Either Ennis or Vesey will play with ROR and Okposo and the other will not be a Sabre.

 

With such authority and self-certainty? Kane is the perfect 3rd liner on a Stanley Cup squad.

 

This is an incredible contract for a top 6 forward who drives puck possession, works the boards and is a pest in front of the net (especially when looking at the other FA deals). Those saying his stats are a product of playing with Tavares (actually haven't seen many saying that; rather they were curious if it was) did not watch much Island these last few years. First, Okposo didn't play much with Tav last year. Second, the guy has high skill (he has plus speed), matched with even higher effort, to stand on his own.

 

I think he will be a crowd favorite here. Nice blue collar player. Also we are building a nice little collection of American players (come on Vessey!). Hockeytown USA.

[jsb]

20 Claude Giroux PHI C 78 22 45 67 0.86

21 Nikita Kucherov TB RW 77 30 36 66 0.86

22 Jaromir Jagr FLA RW 79 27 39 66 0.84

23 Taylor Hall EDM LW 82 26 39 65 0.79

24 Max Pacioretty MON LW 82 30 34 64 0.78

25 Steven Stamkos TB C 77 36 28 64 0.83

26 Kyle Okposo NYI RW 79 22 42 64 0.81

27 Filip Forsberg NSH LW 82 33 31 64 0.78

28 Ryan Getzlaf ANH C 77 13 50 63 0.82

29 Loui Eriksson BOS RW 82 30 33 63 0.77

30 Sean Monahan CGY C 81 27 36 63 0.78

31 David Krejci BOS C 72 17 46 63 0.88

32 Jason Spezza DAL C 75 33 30 63 0.84

33 Jeff Carter LA C 77 24 38 62 0.81

34 Corey Perry ANH RW 82 34 28 62 0.76

35 Daniel Sedin VAN LW 82 28 33 61 0.74

36 Brad Marchand BOS LW 77 37 24 61 0.79

Superstar list?? No can't say that but his production numbers are pretty dang high and up there with some big time names checking out the 15-16 stats. That is the top scorers in the league, 20 on down.

 

Edit: I am obviously incapable of putting up a easy to read chart...... position- games played-goals-assists-total points- points per game 

Edited July 1, 2016 by jsb