The Captain of Your Buffalo Sabres Kyle Okposo, Assistant Captains Zemgus Girgensons and Rasmus Dahlin

[Brawndo]

 

Edited October 8, 2022 by Brawndo

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Pay wall ... is this just an opinion piece or is it based on something from someone credible within the Sabre organization?

I think KO should be captain.  With Dahlin and Girgs wearing the As

Edited June 22, 2022 by Sabres Fan in NS

[woods-racer]

It wouldn't be a surprise, I think many have assumed for some time this was coming.

He deservers it. The coach and gm of the Sabres giving it to the true leader of the team and the most deserving player should not be surprising either. What is surprising is that we are really starting to become a well run franchise.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I’d like to thank Kyle for his efforts here in Buffalo, congrats on being the next Sabres Captain and I’m sincerely sorry this will be your last season here.

[Zamboni]

Meh … give it to a young very talented kid… I mean c’mon, what could go wrong?

[dudacek]

12 minutes ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

Pay wall ... is this just an opinion piece or is it based on something from someone credible within the Sabre organization?

I think KO should be captain.  With Dahlin and Girgs wearing the As

Article implies that Graham knows, or at least believes something, but nothing in there confirms it.

The money section:

"Would it be crossing a line to say Okposo will be Buffalo’s next captain?

Not based on the way his teammates insisted on naming his name at the end of the season.

“To a man,” Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said, “almost every player in the exit meetings found a way to make sure that I knew how much they respect Kyle Okposo. That’s pretty unique. It wasn’t like I was asking players, ‘Hey, tell me what you think about Kyle.’ They just said it to me.

“Everybody you talk to in the game of hockey, across the NHL, they all say the same thing. This is just a world-class human being. We should be proud as an organization to have him represent us every day.”

Adams and Granato didn’t divulge who the 2022-23 captain will be. That announcement will be made with pomp, as is hockey’s tradition.

But all signs point to Okposo wearing the “C” for the first time since the Sabres unstitched it from Jack Eichel’s sweater three weeks before last season began."

The article is outstanding, an example of why I have a subscription.

Kyle has become my favourite Sabre.

[steveoath]

Well gosh darn it, I'll need to get a C to sew on my Okposo jersey if this is the case!

[GASabresIUFAN]

Now the real question is does he just get the C or does he get the C and an extension?

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

19 minutes ago, dudacek said:

The article is outstanding, an example of why I have a subscription.

FYI for Athletic subscribers - I was going to cancel my Athletic subscription last year because the renewal rate was around $60, so I set it up to cancel once expired.  Around a week later they sent me an email to continue by subscription for only $15-20.  Use this info however you want. 🙂 

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

10 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Now the real question is does he just get the C or does he get the C and an extension?

Hopefully both.  I was really concerned about his health for a while (as I think many of us were), but I'm very happy that he seems to be past the worst of it. 

I don't think he would be expensive either because I can't imagine many teams would give him more than $2M AAV x 3 years as a UFA.

[Zamboni]

12 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Now the real question is does he just get the C or does he get the C and an extension?

Following the rich history,  giving the C to a player is ….. well, you know 😂

[thewookie1]

I’d put a D on his shirt for Dad 🙂

[Brawndo]

20 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Now the real question is does he just get the C or does he get the C and an extension?

He is the only Sabre that lives in Buffalo Year Round. 
 

Sign Him to team friendly one year extensions and have a Front Office or Coaching Position waiting for Kyle when He decides to retire. 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2022 by Brawndo

[nucci]

Hate those kinds of statements. it's not very clever though he thinks it is.

2 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

He is the only Sabre that lives in Buffalo Year Round. 
 

Sign Him to team friendly one year extensions and have a Front Office or Coaching Position waiting for Kyle when He decides to retire. 

why would he sign team friendly deal? Why not a player friendly deal?

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Good.

Thanks @dudacek for the summary.

He has earned it and deserves it.  He will wear the C with pride and serve the office well.

If I am KA, I present the sweater with the C on it and a new 2 year $10M dollar contract, with a standing offer of a front office job whenever he is ready to retire as a player, at the same meeting with Kyle.  He is the type of person the Sabres want in their organization long term.

[inkman]

The timing of the article is…odd.  

Edited June 22, 2022 by inkman

[Brawndo]

46 minutes ago, nucci said:

Hate those kinds of statements. it's not very clever though he thinks it is.

why would he sign team friendly deal? Why not a player friendly deal?

If he wants to remain a Buffalo Sabre beyond next season, His next contact will need to be in line with the Team’s Salary Cap Plan. 

[nfreeman]

Interesting.  If he's named captain -- and Graham sure seems confident that he will be -- then it seems pretty likely that he'll get an extension as well.

I think I want to see how this year goes before I'd be happy with more than a 1-year extension for him.

[Zamboni]

in the ballpark of … 

One year 4.5 mil

OR

Two year 8 mil total

 

I really would have to think twice about going a lot higher than that.

[PerreaultForever]

I still think this would be a big mistake. The guy might be a respected veteran but naming a 4th line player on the downside of his career as team captain would be a huge mistake for team progress. He's not a core player and he's likely deadline trade material. 

I still say it should be Tuch. 

[woods-racer]

6 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I still think this would be a big mistake. The guy might be a respected veteran but naming a 4th line player on the downside of his career as team captain would be a huge mistake for team progress. He's not a core player and he's likely deadline trade material. 

I still say it should be Tuch. 

A big mistake was the last captain. Kyle has EARNED it.  No-one else on the team has earned it yet.

[Radar]

10 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I still think this would be a big mistake. The guy might be a respected veteran but naming a 4th line player on the downside of his career as team captain would be a huge mistake for team progress. He's not a core player and he's likely deadline trade material. 

I still say it should be Tuch. 

Don't agree on the point a fourth line player shouldn't be considered. As I also don't think your best player should necessarily be your captain. Having said that I'd be happy with either Tuch or Kyle. Giving the edge to Kyle.

Edited June 22, 2022 by Radar

[JohnC]

4 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Now the real question is does he just get the C or does he get the C and an extension?

If he wants to play another year, then why not? He wasn't our best player but he was our most consistent two way player. He's a good player and a special person. Not only has he been productive but his stats don't come close to reveal his contribution to the team. 

[dudacek]

5 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

I still think this would be a big mistake. The guy might be a respected veteran but naming a 4th line player on the downside of his career your 4th-leading scorer, all-situations player and most-respected voice in the room team captain would be a huge mistake for team progress. He's not a core disposable player and he's likely deadline trade contract extension material. 

I still say it should be Tuch. 

I don’t have a problem with you not liking the choice.

I do find it weird how a Sabre fan can confidently say Ullmark and Swayman are best buds, yet be so out of touch with what happened with Okposo and Buffalo this year.

[PerreaultForever]

16 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I don’t have a problem with you not liking the choice.

I do find it weird how a Sabre fan can confidently say Ullmark and Swayman are best buds, yet be so out of touch with what happened with Okposo and Buffalo this year.

I've told you before, Bruins are my B team that I follow when the Sabres suck (so a lot in the last decade). The Ullmark Swayman thing is well documented. 

I do know what has gone on with the Sabres, and I know what Kyle wrote and said, I know all of it. I'm thinking ahead though. Projecting the team forward. Long term stability and a captain who is here long term. 

What happens if you give Kyle an extension. You name him captain and his play drops way off as he's too old and too slow and wants to but just can't. He's knocked right out of the starting line up by Quinn and Peterka and whoever else. So your captain, for all his heart and desire, is sitting in the press box in 2 years and you what? strip him of the C? Brian Gionta all over again. Not a scenario I want to see. 

Give it to the homeboy. Give it to Tuch. Let the team evolve and grow around that stable locked in piece who has already shown his leadership.