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Buffalo Sabres: Players looking to have a turnaround season

By Robert Berger

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 01: Zach Bogosian #47 of the Buffalo Sabres skates during the 2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic between the New York Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres at Citi Field on January 1, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 01: Zach Bogosian #47 of the Buffalo Sabres skates during the 2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic between the New York Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres at Citi Field on January 1, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Buffalo sabres Kyle okposo
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 2: Kyle Okposo #21 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on April 2, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Sabres 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Okposo /

Kyle Okposo

The Buffalo Sabres signed Kyle Okposo to a massive contract on the first day of free agency in the summer of 2016. Coming off of his third 20 goal season with the New York Islanders, Okposo signed a 7 year, $42 million contract. Here are similar free agent signees from Summer 2016 and how they have performed in the previous two seasons.

Player Goals Assists Points
Kyle Okposo 34 55 89
Milan Lucic 33 51 84
David Backes 31 40 51
Loui Eriksson 21 26 47

All statistics are from hockey-reference.com

The good news is that Okposo has been better than the other $6 million AAV from the 2016 free agent class. The bad news is that those other contracts are all widely considered bad contracts. With the second biggest contract on the team, the Sabres need more than the two sub-50 point seasons Okposo has had in Buffalo.

Other than the concussion issue at the end of his first season in Buffalo, Okposo has been relatively healthy in Buffalo. Okposo’s style of play is going to cause him to miss a game here and there however he played 76 games last season, fifth most on the team.

Kyle Okposo remains a key piece to the offense for the 2018-19 season. Going into training camp, Okposo is projected to play at right wing on the second line with Casey Mittelstadt and either Conor Sheary or Jeff Skinner. There is also going to be young guys in training camp looking to take some of the 17 minutes per game he played last season. Okposo’s contract is not moveable so he will need to return to the 60 point form he showed on Long Island.

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