How do we unload Okposo and his contract?

[freester]

I would love to see the Sabres extend Skinner and sign Matt Duchenne in free agency.  To do this they would have to free up some cap space.  What would we have to give someone like Arizona to take Okposa?  I'm thinking Ghule and a first round pick.

[GASabresIUFAN]

KO's contract is like Herpes.  It's forever.

[Doohicksie]

We just freed up cap space by cutting Berglund.  Not sure about Duchenne, but I expect JBot to dabble in the free agent market this summer.

[carpandean]

10 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

KO's contract is like Herpes.  It's forever.

I bet there are a lot of herpes sufferers who would be jealous that his contract will, in fact, go away after four more seasons. ?

 

[Taro T]

There's only 2 realistic ways that they're getting out of Okposo's contract.  A buyout that becomes available after the next lockout or if he starts having concussion issues again & has to retire due to the medical condition.  Both still leave the Pegulas on the hook for the full $ amount but both (presumably) clear the entire remaining cap hit.

Yeah, they might luck into someone looking to get to the league floor, but that's a much longer shot until we're into the next CBA.  Nobody is letting the Sabres out of 3-1/2 years of the contract.  But with Berglund going away, that single LT bad contract's not a killer.

[inkman]

1 hour ago, freester said:

I would love to see the Sabres extend Skinner and sign Matt Duchenne in free agency.  To do this they would have to free up some cap space.  What would we have to give someone like Arizona to take Okposa?  I'm thinking Ghule and a first round pick.

Duchene is not a player I'd want on my team.

[Sabel79]

Pommers and Moulson come off the books this summer.  There’s Skinners raise and about three other RFA guys taken care of.  The Sabres are in a pretty good cap situation for the next couple years, all things considered.  By the time Dahlin needs paid, who knows A: what the cap will be and B: what other roster moves will have been made.  

KO’s contract, while certainly a lasting monument to the questionable methods of our prior GM, isn’t a killer. 

[nfreeman]

It all comes down to the price another team would require to take KO's contract.  A 3rd-round pick?  Definitely.  A good D prospect like Guhle?  NFW, unless the Sabres are convinced that Guhle isn't going to be an NHL defenseman.

[freester]

How much do people want Duchenne as our #2 center?  if you think he is very good, he certainly fills a major need.  To sign him and Skinner would require moving Okposo.  Would you trade with  Ottawa now for an extended Duchenne (assume 7yr 49) for Okposa, Guhle and a number 1?  Feel free to make modifications that you think Ottawa would accept.

[Georgia Blizzard]

Cap issues are manageable assuming Sabres get more primary scoring from Mittelstadt, Thompson and some other forward not named Skinner, Eichel or Reinhart.  Couple that with continued development of the defense, I could see a "stand pat" and retain our core working longer term.

The issue happens if JBot has to go after scoring to supplement our Big 3.  

I don't see a realistic scenario to get out from KO's contract.  The lowest payroll team this year is $4M above floor, no team is going to take on KO contract for that purpose.  I'm against trading assets to pay for a GMTM mistake.

[pi2000]

I like Okposo's game.    He's not scoring, but he plays hard and contributes in other ways... he's physical and vocal.    

That said, yes, he's extremely overpaid... but I wouldn't sacrifice futures just to get his contract off the books.

[freester]

20 minutes ago, Georgia Blizzard said:

Cap issues are manageable assuming Sabres get more primary scoring from Mittelstadt, Thompson and some other forward not named Skinner, Eichel or Reinhart.  Couple that with continued development of the defense, I could see a "stand pat" and retain our core working longer term.

The issue happens if JBot has to go after scoring to supplement our Big 3.  

I don't see a realistic scenario to get out from KO's contract.  The lowest payroll team this year is $4M above floor, no team is going to take on KO contract for that purpose.  I'm against trading assets to pay for a GMTM mistake.

Very reasonable approach,  but assuming JBot wants some additional scoring to supplement big 3, its definitely  a problem  but the Seattle expansion draft would be another option to dump the contract but we would have to give up assets.

[Carmel Corn]

The only scenario trade-wise I can see is getting somebody else's bad contract in return.  Maybe a situation where we take a player with an even higher annual cap hit, but less year's remaining.  Perhaps a player who's game that somehow "fits" better than KO's. 

[Kruppstahl]

Cut the brake lines in his car.

 

 

[StuckinFL]

Leave him exposed to Seattle and offer them a sweetener. New expansion teams need to build a pipeline from the ground up so hopefully we can offer picks for them to choose him. 

[Georgia Blizzard]

He has a 15-team no trade clause, so, for him to go anywhere anyway, he'll need to be cooperative

[In The Buff]

24 minutes ago, StuckinFL said:

Leave him exposed to Seattle and offer them a sweetener. New expansion teams need to build a pipeline from the ground up so hopefully we can offer picks for them to choose him. 

That'd be great, however its gonna take a helluva sweetener. My fear is that Seattle tries to go after Ulmark. We're gonna have to give them a good asset to protect the right players, yet alone getting rid of Okposos ghastly contract.

Surely KO knows he hasnt lived up to his contract. If he was such a class guy, it'd be nice if he'd restructure his deal to give the team more flexibility to improve the roster.

But of course that won't happen, KO is no Tom Brady

[GASabresIUFAN]

Here is a scary thought.  We have a similar size payroll to TB. 

Edited January 9, 2019 by GASabresIUFAN

[Brawndo]

2 minutes ago, MillerVaive said:

That'd be great, however its gonna take a helluva sweetener. My fear is that Seattle tries to go after Ulmark. We're gonna have to give them a good asset to protect the right players, yet alone getting rid of Okposos ghastly contract.

Surely KO knows he hasnt lived up to his contract. If he was such a class guy, it'd be nice if he'd restructure his deal to give the team more flexibility to improve the roster.

But of course that won't happen, KO is no Tom Brady

Hutton or some journeyman tender will be signed to be left exposed in the expansion draft 

Here is the buyout calculator for each remaining year of Okposo’s Contract

[pi2000]

28 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Here is a scary thought.  We have a similar size payroll to TB. 

Yeah but TBL will only have about $6m in cap space to fill 7 roster spots next season, including re-signing Brayden Point who will be an RFA, but is well over a 100pt pace.     

Edited January 9, 2019 by pi2000

[dudacek]

45 minutes ago, pi2000 said:

Yeah but TBL will only have about $6m in cap space to fill 7 roster spots next season, including re-signing Brayden Point who will be an RFA, but is well over a 100pt pace.     

He will be our new second line centre after JBot drops an offer sheet on his desk, forever altering the balance of power in the Adams Division ?

[thewookie1]

Just wait for a new compliance buyout or eat it until we actually need the money. I don’t see any point in overpaying Duchene, who quit on his last team, so he can play 2C for a year or two.

[Weave]

4 hours ago, pi2000 said:

I like Okposo's game.    He's not scoring, but he plays hard and contributes in other ways... he's physical and vocal.    

That said, yes, he's extremely overpaid... but I wouldn't sacrifice futures just to get his contract off the books.

Wow.  I'm in full agreement here.  That doesn't happen often.

 

Other than maybe the Jack on smack thing.

[Huckleberry]

LTIR

The kings treatment, slip some cocaine in his bags while crossing the border.

Kidnap him, feed him 50kg of hamburgers in two days.   Have him decleared unfit and in breach of contract.

[Radar]

While I expect scoring from him and it's frustrating that he's not scoring I agree that his play is hard and I do believe his influence is substantial with our young team.