The Buffalo Sabres’ young locker room will have the veteran leadership of captain Kyle Okposo next season as well. The franchise announced on Thursday that Okposo signed a one-year contract to play in Buffalo in 2023-24.
Okposo was set to hit the free market after playing out his original seven-year, $42 million contract expired. His new deal comes with a salary of $2.5 million, according to the Sabres.
Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Okposo said that his plan always was to forgo free agency and return to Buffalo.
“There is definitely some unfinished business, for sure,” Okposo said. “I’ve been through a lot here. … I just think we’re scratching the surface. I think that it’s pretty evident by what’s happened in the playoffs this year that we’re not very far from reaching the top of the mountain.
Okposo was one of the few veterans on the Sabres’ team that surprisingly finished the 2022-23 season with a 42-33-7 record despite fielding the youngest roster in the league. The 35-year-old played in 75 games, contributing with 11 goals and 17 assists for a total of 28 points.
Kyle Okposo made his debut in NHL with the New York Islanders and played nine seasons with the team before landing in Buffalo as a free agent. Okposo, who was an All-Star in 2017, played 984 career NHL games and has 592 points.
