Longtime New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres winger Kyle Okposo has introduced his retirement from the NHL in an open letter released by his agency, CAA Hockey. Within the letter, Okposo recounted his goals of pursuing the NHL and the deep relationships he was capable of kind across the league. Okposo shall be ending a adorned profession that spanned 17 NHL seasons, 1,051 video games, and, as of some months in the past, one Stanley Cup.
Okposo was chosen seventh total by the Islanders within the 2006 NHL Draft after profitable the 2006 USHL Clark Cup Championship with the Des Moines Buccaneers. He adopted the draft with two productive years on the College of Minnesota, combining for 51 factors in 58 video games, earlier than turning professional within the second half of the 2007-08 season. Okposo’s manufacturing shortly translated to the AHL flight, and he earned his first NHL call-up after 35 video games and 28 factors in Bridgeport.
As soon as he was known as up, Okposo didn’t look again — netting 5 factors in his first 9 NHL video games, then extra formally scoring 18 targets and 39 factors in 65 video games throughout his rookie season. He jumped as much as New York’s second line and held his spot proudly, routinely difficult 20 targets and 50 factors — peaking with a career-high 27 targets and 69 factors within the 2013-14 season. Few wingers have been as dependable as Okposo, and he carried that duty by way of a transfer to the Buffalo Sabres in 2016 — signing a seven-year deal in his solely expertise on the free agent market.
Okposo joined a Sabres crew shortly approaching all-time low. They didn’t as soon as make the postseason throughout Okposo’s eight years with the membership, however that didn’t dissuade him from latching on to his patented function within the lineup. Even by way of challenges with routine concussions, Okposo stood as a routine scorer, difficult 45 factors each time he might play in a whole season with the Sabres.
The constant persistence earned Okposo the Sabres’ captaincy in 2022, succeeding Jack Eichel after his transfer to Vegas. Okposo wore the ’C’ for the following two seasons. However with the then-35-year-old shortly approaching his closing skates, the Sabres made the tough resolution to commerce their captain on the 2024 Commerce Deadline, shifting him to a crew able to working towards the Stanley Cup.
Thus, Okposo joined the red-hot Florida Panthers with a fifth-round decide and the rights to defender Calle Sjalin headed again to Buffalo. Okposo crammed the function of thirteenth ahead for Florida, solely slotting into six common season video games and failing to report a degree. However his vitality proved invaluable within the postseason, the place he appeared in 17 video games and located a approach to make a noticeable affect regardless of recording simply two assists. The onerous work paid off, and Okposo gained the Stanley Cup in his first postseason look since 2016.
He’ll finish his profession on that top, however it’s onerous to suppose his keen character will keep away from the league for lengthy. He hinted at that in his retirement announcement:
“Thirty years of taking part in hockey was unimaginable… I imagine the sport is in an excellent place proper now, however the prospects are huge. I’m trying ahead to persevering with to contribute to the video games because it reaches new heights.”