It’s time for another round of NHL rumours for the middle of your week. The Buffalo Sabres made a lot of good impressions this season despite missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Buffalo has a lot of good things going for it with a good young roster. General manager Kevyn Adams has done pretty well in stockpiling assets and getting players. There are some free agents he needs to sign this coming off-season. This edition of NHL rumours takes a look at a possible Kyle Okposo return to the club.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Kyle Okposo Return Could Happen
Rumour: The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn looked into the idea of the Sabres captain returning to the club. Okposo is an unrestricted free agent that was making $6 million in a deal that was signed for the 2016-17 season by Tim Murray. The St. Paul, Minn. native struggled to live up to the contract. However, he’s done whatever the team has asked him to do.
Adams said that both Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons are both welcome to return to club. However, it would have to be at the right price. Fairburn said that Adams would likely want to keep the price tag lower than $5 million. Both sides may be willing to accept a one-year contract to retain the 35-year-old. Girgensons might want to sign a multi-year contract since the Latvian is 29.
Impact of Kyle Okposo Return
Adams does want to prioritize the extensions of Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power. However, the latter cannot ink an extension until July 1, 2024. Adams may want to lay the groundwork for the Power extension.
Bringing back Okposo at a lower-end deal would be smart because of his leadership. He may not pot goals like he did with the New York Islanders, but he can help out with the younger players. Buffalo is a younger team and having a veteran like Okposo could be a boon.
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