The Buffalo Sabres will have their captain back on the ice in 2023-24. Today, the team announced a one-year extension for Kyle Okposo worth $2.5MM.
2023-24 will mark Okposo’s 17th season in the NHL and his eighth in Buffalo. The 35-year-old right wing was coming off a seven-year, $42MM contract signed with the Sabres in 2016.
Named Buffalo’s captain ahead of the 2022-23 season, Okposo maintained his effectiveness in a bottom-six role, registering 11 goals and 28 points in 75 games. While injuries and inconsistencies have plagued Okposo’s tenure in Buffalo, he’s emerged as an invaluable leader among a young team on the rise. He’ll get to stay the course and aim to guide Buffalo to their first playoff appearance since 2011.
Save for a long-term absence, Okposo will play in his 1,000th NHL game next season. The Minnesota product is currently sitting at 984 NHL games, in which he’s recorded a total of 230 goals and 592 points.
Since Okposo is aged 35 or older, he’s eligible for a contract that includes performance bonuses. Per CapFriendly, Okposo will receive a $500,000 bonus if Buffalo wins the Stanley Cup in 2024.
Okposo still provides solid two-way metrics and is far from being a liability on the ice, so his leadership isn’t the only thing motivating the extension. He’ll likely play a more limited role on the team next season, however, given the emergence of their younger core and potential free-agent acquisitions.
After the extension, Buffalo still has roughly $17MM in projected cap space for 2023-24, as listed by CapFriendly.