Kyle Okposo is back

[...]

Worthy of its own thread?

 

 

[mjd1001]

Certainly worthy of its own thread.  Pretty big pay cut, what is his role?  Does this mean anything for Girgensons coming back? (I still want Girgeonsons back for sure.) One less spot for a younger guy?   Will he be captain again or an "A" or is he willing to not take a letter at all and be a leader without a letter?

I guess for a reduced salary its not bad. This year the money wasn't a cap issue for the Sabress anyway. I'm also assuming he had a 'fun' season last year playing with this team and might look forward to the 'forward' version of a "Craig Anderson" type season.

Edited May 24, 2023 by mjd1001

[Buffalonill]

Why why ? Jesus cant we move on and 2.5m ? So he gets more then Bergeron thats Laughable.

Some can disgrace but we didn't need to sign him we have enough players with voices now .

 

If they sign Girgensons im going to lose it 

[...]

3 minutes ago, ... said:

Worthy of its own thread?

 

 

Going to quote myself from earlier. I think a lot of us called this in some manner or other.

"There is absolutely no dismissing how important it is to have that atmosphere in there and my impression is that it took not only Meatballs doing his thing, KA cleaning house of the locker room cancers, but also KO putting his foot down and showing the way.

Is that worth giving the guy a shot at a final season of a glorious playoff run for ~$2.5mil for the year? I think so. I think KO has more to teach these guys and he can help make sure there are no embers of locker rooms past. If we carry two goalies there's room for him on the roster and still add a solid player to the third line."

[Randall Flagg]

Operation: get KO and Z and Skinner (and Tage and dahlin and cozens and .......) to the ploffs

[pastajoe]

I was hoping he would retire so the team didn’t feel obligated to resign him, and open another spot for a young talent or veteran they brought in. It will be awkward if they have to sit the captain because his play has slipped.

[tom webster]

3 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Why why ? Jesus cant we move on and 2.5m ? So he gets more then Bergeron thats Laughable.

Some can disgrace but we didn't need to sign him we have enough players with voices now .

 

If they sign Girgensons im going to lose it 

When bonuses factored in he did not get more than Bergeron. Boston played cap roulette and now they will pay for it.

[Buffalonill]

11 minutes ago, ... said:

Going to quote myself from earlier. I think a lot of us called this in some manner or other.

"There is absolutely no dismissing how important it is to have that atmosphere in there and my impression is that it took not only Meatballs doing his thing, KA cleaning house of the locker room cancers, but also KO putting his foot down and showing the way.

Is that worth giving the guy a shot at a final season of a glorious playoff run for ~$2.5mil for the year? I think so. I think KO has more to teach these guys and he can help make sure there are no embers of locker rooms past. If we carry two goalies there's room for him on the roster and still add a solid player to the third line."

From what the press box ? He was on his last leg last year absolutely horrible.

Rousek should have taken his spot 

[mjd1001]

1 minute ago, pastajoe said:

I was hoping he would retire so the team didn’t feel obligated to resign him, and open another spot for a young talent or veteran they brought in. It will be awkward if they have to sit the captain because his play has slipped.

Does he stay captain though? I think there is a chance he is OK without the letter and just leading by being a 'voice in the room' if it comes down to that.

[Buffalonill]

I can see now sabres care more about relationships then winning 

Thank you for your service kyle but you didn't deserve 2.5m and a free roster spot 

[Doohicksie]

6 minutes ago, Buffalonill said:

Why why ?

1,000 games/600 points

He'll be LTIR'd once he hits those and "has a boo boo"

[LabattBlue]

Is the goal to make the playoffs in 23-24, or see KO play his 1000th NHL game as a Sabre?  
 

My two cents…waste of a roster spot and an even bigger waste of 2.5 mil of cap space. 

[Doohicksie]

4 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Does he stay captain though? I think there is a chance he is OK without the letter and just leading by being a 'voice in the room' if it comes down to that.

He'll keep the C.

[Buffalonill]

10 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

1,000 games/600 points

He'll be LTIR'd once he hits those and "has a boo boo"

And that makes the signing more of a joke then 

[LGR4GM]

 

[Doohicksie]

Just now, Buffalonill said:

And that makes the signing more of a joke then 

Let's see how it plays out.

It was Kevyn who transformed the team by moving RistoReinoEichel.  The returns weren't necessarily better players but it made the team better.  Kevyn has his pulse on the team and the players.  I don't like it either but I tend to trust Kevyn's judgment here.

[That Aud Smell]

Absolutely worth its own thread.

I'll say: This is a little surprising.

The social media post says the Captain is back. Maybe that means something. Maybe it doesn't.

I'm in favour of KO having a 4th line role and continuing to mentor the young guys. And I also think it might be better if he passed that letter on. But who the hell knows. Maybe every player in that locker room is 100% good with him continuing to wear the C. Yet again on the other hand, even if the players are all okay with it, that doesn't mean it should be what the team does.

[Buffalonill]

10 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

 

2.5 for 4th liner he definitely took a hometown discount. 

Cant wait to sign girgensons for 3 million 

[pastajoe]

8 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

Does he stay captain though? I think there is a chance he is OK without the letter and just leading by being a 'voice in the room' if it comes down to that.

They won’t take it from him, he’d have to volunteer to give it up.

[LabattBlue]

Just now, Doohickie said:

Let's see how it plays out.

It was Kevyn who transformed the team by moving RistoReinoEichel.  The returns weren't necessarily better players but it made the team better.  Kevyn has his pulse on the team and the players.  I don't like it either but I tend to trust Kevyn's judgment here.

Trust Kevyn?  He has f***ed up the goaltending situation 3 years running, and if he goes with UPL/Levi/Comrie in 23-24, there is a good chance it will become 4 years. 

[K-9]

10 minutes ago, pastajoe said:

I was hoping he would retire so the team didn’t feel obligated to resign him, and open another spot for a young talent or veteran they brought in. It will be awkward if they have to sit the captain because his play has slipped.

KO would be the first one to sit himself down if his play slipped to the point he was hindering the team. 

[nfreeman]

I think this is probably best viewed as a "continued cleanse of prior toxic culture/growth of positive culture" move.

I don't disagree that KO's play declined last year but he still had 11 goals and 28 pts and played almost 15 min per game on a decent team.  He's still an NHL player.  And his teammates seem to love and respect him.

I'm fine with it.

 

[tom webster]

1 minute ago, Buffalonill said:

2.5 for 4th liner he definitely took a hometown discount. 

Cant wait to sign girgensons for 3 million 

Girgs probably will get 3X$3. It’s the going rate for veteran leaders/third liners.

The team has plenty of cap space and still need the veteran leadership these guys provide.

[LabattBlue]

Just now, tom webster said:

Girgs probably will get 3X$3. It’s the going rate for veteran leaders/third liners.

The team has plenty of cap space and still need the veteran leadership these guys provide.

Then the bigger problem is guys like KO and Girgs on your 3rd line. 

[nfreeman]

I'll add that I think this makes a Zemgus return less likely, although not impossible.