The Buffalo Sabres announced that forward Kyle Okposo is sidelined for Saturday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with an upper-body injury. Team doctors will evaluate him on Friday.
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Kyle Okposo Injured
Okposo sustained the injury in the first period of Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. The 31-year-old only skated five shifts and played a total of three minutes and 47 seconds.
So far this season, Okposo has scored five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 40 games. He also has 28 penalty minutes in the 2019-20 season. His possession numbers are 49.6 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 1.4.
Over his 13-year NHL career, Okposo has played for the New York Islanders and the Buffalo Sabres. He has 192 goals and 307 assists for 499 career points in 788 career games. The Islanders originally drafted him in the first round, seventh overall of the 2006 NHL Draft.
Buffalo head coach Ralph Kruger stated that the St. Paul, Minn. native did not sustain a concussion.
What This Means for the Future
It’s another injury blow for a Sabres team that is a MASH unit. Buffalo is already without Victor Olofsson (lower body), Tage Thompson (shoulder), Vladimir Sobotka (knee) and goalie Linus Ullmark (lower body).
Jean-Sebastien Dea was called up to fill Okposo’s roster spit. Casey Middlestadt and Rasmus Asplund may also come into play if further injuries happen.
The injuries some up a Sabres’ season that has gone off the rails again after another promising start. Buffalo is 10 points out of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference coming into Friday’s games. The Sabres are sixth in the Atlantic Division and are two points behind the Canadiens for fifth in the division.
Okposo still has three more years left on his contract after this season. His deal carries a $6 million salary cap hit. The forward hasn’t reached the 20-goal mark in three seasons with the Sabres.
BUFFALO, NY – OCTOBER 09: Kyle Okposo #21 and Johan Larsson #22 of the Buffalo Sabres check Shea Weber #6 of the Montreal Canadiens during the second period of play at KeyBank Center on October 9, 2019 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Nicholas T. LoVerde/Getty Images)
