Player Discussion Kyle Okposo - Farewell Okie

[Team Cozens]

It's hard to prove the brain damage.

He will probably play out the contract if he avoids more injuries to the head or end up a depressed vegetable like Franzen.

While I agree, at some point teams need to do the right thing and force players out after multiple serious concussions. Try and prove it. He must have had a baseline test over the years. Kyle will still get paid and can enjoy the rest of his life. These athletes would play through there problems. Teams become responsible for letting them play.

 

[SundherDome]

It all depends on what the team doctors will clear and what they won't clear.

If the team doctor clears him and he doesn't want to play any longer, then the contract is voided.

If he wants to play, but the team doctor doesn't clear him, that's when LTIR comes into play ala Callahan, Pronger, etc.

Where does the Lupul clause fit in here?

 

[Buffaloed]

Couldn’t the Sabres simply LTIR Kyle based on concussion history? Wondering what would show on a full Physical and scan. I personally believe he never should have come back from his last - his 5th? He has not been the same player since his near death experience.

That worked out well with Lafontaine.

 

[Jim Bob]

Where does the Lupul clause fit in here?

Lupul falls into the "team doctor didn't clear him to play" bucket.

You can split that category into two parts. One where the player is injured and doesn't really want to play, but they still want to get paid the rest of their contract. Callahan riding out the last year of his deal and Pronger are two examples of that.

Lupul is an example of where a player tried to fight to play when the team was declaring them unfit to play to gain the LTIR cap relief. Lupul's appeal led to an independent doctor examining him and that doctor didn't clear him to play.

 

[TehDoak]

Couldn’t the Sabres simply LTIR Kyle based on concussion history? Wondering what would show on a full Physical and scan. I personally believe he never should have come back from his last - his 5th? He has not been the same player since his near death experience.

It's hard to prove the brain damage.

He will probably play out the contract if he avoids more injuries to the head or end up a depressed vegetable like Franzen.

So, I think it's pretty much impossible to say has his decline and play been due to the concussion issues or if he's simply older. He's 32. I'm actually much more inclined to believe it's the latter. It's not like he's avoiding going into corners and floating around. He's playing a similar game to when he was much younger, his wheels just aren't as good as they used to be and has problems with a 200 ft game.

Here's Okposo at fullspeed in Feb



Here's Okposo in 15-16



The slowdown is pretty obvious.

I don't think he finishes out his contract

After his 2M is paid out next 7/1, He'll be due 6M over the next two seasons, less escrow. (which is starting this year at 20% and coming down). We'll see, I guess. If i were the Sabres, I'd give him a soft landing spot within the Org (asst coach? front office role?) to help incentivize him a bit.

 

[Shootica]

So, I think it's pretty much impossible to say has his decline and play been due to the concussion issues or if he's simply older. He's 32. I'm actually much more inclined to believe it's the latter. It's not like he's avoiding going into corners and floating around. He's playing a similar game to when he was much younger, his wheels just aren't as good as they used to be and has problems with a 200 ft game.

Here's Okposo at fullspeed in Feb



Here's Okposo in 15-16



The slowdown is pretty obvious.

I don't think he finishes out his contract

After his 2M is paid out next 7/1, He'll be due 6M over the next two seasons, less escrow. (which is starting this year at 20% and coming down). We'll see, I guess. If i were the Sabres, I'd give him a soft landing spot within the Org (asst coach? front office role?) to help incentivize him a bit.

Okposo has always struck me as a guy who will do well in a front office role once he hangs them up. He seems to have a good mind for it.

That being said, he clearly still has that fire for the game. If he didn't, he wouldn't be playing now. Until he loses that passion for playing, we aren't pulling him away from the ice by dangling a different position in the org. At least barring another injury scare, God forbid.

 

[Der Jaeger]

Okposo has always struck me as a guy who will do well in a front office role once he hangs them up. He seems to have a good mind for it.

That being said, he clearly still has that fire for the game. If he didn't, he wouldn't be playing now. Until he loses that passion for playing, we aren't pulling him away from the ice by dangling a different position in the org. At least barring another injury scare, God forbid.

I'm just worried for the guy. After what he went through, I'd hang them up. No need to jeopardize his future quality of life on a game.

 

[Shootica]

I'm just worried for the guy. After what he went through, I'd hang them up. No need to jeopardize his future quality of life on a game.

Oh I agree. But if he hasn't hung them up yet, I'm not counting on it happening any time soon.

 

[Dex]

I like the soft landing spot idea iterated upthread in the form of ongoing employment post retirement. He just seems to be at substantial risk for some long term sequella to his multiple head injuries. I'd hate to see what happens with one or two more concussions.

Quite frankly, I never liked him as a player and hated the signing.. His performance has certainly declined markedly over the past few years. But he does seem to be a standup sort of guy who has chosen Buffalo to be his home. The last thing I'd want to see or hear about is anything related to the long term effects of traumatic brain injury. Some meaningful organizational role that, over the long haul, might actually benefit him more that the last 2-3 years of his contract is something I hope both the Sabres and Okposo consider.

 

[K8fool]

I hate to say it.. I have seen great progress in the past two years . will he become 2016 kyle.. Prob not .. Will he be impactful and help us win w an unorecedented 9 mos off the fully heal after his face sweling finally fixed last year late. He could be a real hidden asset and a buyout only hurts us. I think he is realistic and driven enough to reward buffalo for their faith in him. You all and i might be thrilled a few rooks make the team and we pick up two like staal . if kyle is scoring on the fourth w lazar im thrilled w a real linemate that is a 200ft player..

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

I hate to say it.. I have seen great progress in the past two years . will he become 2016 kyle.. Prob not .. Will he be impactful and help us win w an unorecedented 9 mos off the fully heal after his face sweling finally fixed last year late. He could be a real hidden asset and a buyout only hurts us. I think he is realistic and driven enough to reward buffalo for their faith in him. You all and i might be thrilled a few rooks make the team and we pick up two like staal . if kyle is scoring on the fourth w lazar im thrilled w a real linemate that is a 200ft player..

Nothing he does outside of him somehow scoring 20 goals would make him worth anything near his cap hit. Praying he retires by next summer. We need his cap hit off.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Nothing he does outside of him somehow scoring 20 goals would make him worth anything near his cap hit. Praying he retires by next summer. We need his cap hit off.

Keep praying

 

[K8fool]

Nothing he does outside of him somehow scoring 20 goals would make him worth anything near his cap hit. Praying he retires by next summer. We need his cap hit off.

Im thinking he scores 20 goals..

If we have two more players to make a real second line.. And one or two... of the three.. Four .. headed propect.. dylan mittsa pekar giraffe become real contributing regulars..

It would help not have a blind sieve to encourage faith in scoring..

My sarcastic point is okposo could be a real clutch contributor if healthy on a good team.. Might even make him trade bait at retaining 2.5 salary.. But if we have to eat cap we might as well reap the benefits of treating him and his family honorably

.. And he shows what difference a couple pounds and a millisecond less in speed and reaction time can be looking at that 2016 vid. He has so many skills you cannot teach like driving always to the net.. If two lines that are good can offer shade and great matchups for a third line of youth and okposo and lazar and whoever good.. . Sounds like a team id want to watch instead of whining about a cap hit we all can do nothing about but hope he has healed enough to earn it .

 

[K8fool]

Keep praying

I will champion this cause.. 9 mos of healing.. I will suggest that praying may not be necessary now that he has learned how to heal himself.. It can be a two three year road.. Sucked for us but every team needs some guy that exceeds expectation... He showed flashes before the team fell off a cliff in February last year.. Its not a guarantee nor is Staal.. But I'm also liking the four prospects bulking up and knowing what it takes to play in the pros .

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

I will champion this cause.. 9 mos of healing.. I will suggest that praying may not be necessary now that he has learned how to heal himself.. It can be a two three year road.. Sucked for us but every team needs some guy that exceeds expectation... He showed flashes before the team fell off a cliff in February last year.. Its not a guarantee nor is Staal.. But I'm also liking the four prospects bulking up and knowing what it takes to play in the pros .

Okposo is not scoring 20 goals. Odds are long. He has a 20-20 season and it's the comeback story of this year.

The reality is he's on our roster until we buy him out. It's time to face that. Outside shot he gets bought out after this year. He was a disaster in Buffalo. He exceeded Moulson for a bad contract and maybe Skinner can pass Okposo for bad contract. That's the race here.

 

[TehDoak]

Okposo is not scoring 20 goals. Odds are long. He has a 20-20 season and it's the comeback story of this year.

The reality is he's on our roster until we buy him out. It's time to face that. Outside shot he gets bought out after this year. He was a disaster in Buffalo. He exceeded Moulson for a bad contract and maybe Skinner can pass Okposo for bad contract. That's the race here.

Okposo scored 9 goals in 52 games last year getting only 40% Ozone starts

Given the coaching staff isn't going to change, it's highly unlikely he'll produce 20 goals given his deployments

However, you switch his role and give him PP time, 20 goals is easily achievable if he stays healthy. His shot and corner work is still good. His foot speed is the issue. It's on the coaching staff to decide how they want to use him. The idea that 20 goals is an impossibility is silly. It certainly is possible, not likely given his likely role (4th line with heavy Dzone starts). Give him some time on the 2nd PP unit with Staal though, we could easily see 10-15 goals in a full season.

 

[brian_griffin]

Maybe he and Moulson have a tontine as to whom retires last...

 

[Archie Lee]

Okposo scored 9 goals in 52 games last year getting only 40% Ozone starts

Given the coaching staff isn't going to change, it's highly unlikely he'll produce 20 goals given his deployments

However, you switch his role and give him PP time, 20 goals is easily achievable if he stays healthy. His shot and corner work is still good. His foot speed is the issue. It's on the coaching staff to decide how they want to use him. The idea that 20 goals is an impossibility is silly. It certainly is possible, not likely given his likely role (4th line with heavy Dzone starts). Give him some time on the 2nd PP unit with Staal though, we could easily see 10-15 goals in a full season.

Staal was frequently paired with Foligno and Fiala last year, I believe. I don't want to compare Foligno with Okposo except in that they are larger body guys who work the corner well. Maybe Staal with Okposo on the right side and one of Olofsson, Skinner or Kahun on the left side would be a similar line to Foligno/Staal/Fiala.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Okposo has been far better than moulsen

 

[brian_griffin]

Okposo has been far better than moulsen

agreed, but I never said otherwise...

My point is Moulson is still playing pro hockey, and the notion re: a tontine as to who retires last was intended to be humorous.

 

[Dirty Dog]

agreed, but I never said otherwise...

no but someone else just did! That’s who I was referring to lol

 

[K8fool]

Okposo is not scoring 20 goals. Odds are long. He has a 20-20 season and it's the comeback story of this year.

The reality is he's on our roster until we buy him out. It's time to face that. Outside shot he gets bought out after this year. He was a disaster in Buffalo. He exceeded Moulson for a bad contract and maybe Skinner can pass Okposo for bad contract. That's the race here.

I hear you but then you mentioned. Matt Moulson.. Yes at 6 no question nobody would sign him fir that.. 3? 4? . two years ago i wouldn't sign him for one. But. The progress has been excruciatingly slow. I see progress . will he be a top 6 .. No .

Does he still drive the net , pass andvshoot well and has actually gained a half a step in the past two agonizing years. We need a couple scorers added to the lineup to create two lines that throw shade enough on Kyle's line that he becomes a matchup problem against weaker kids and one dimensional players if he finishes the healing process.

. I've seen girls w concussion symptoms understand diet and take a year to remove fluid and thus no further concussions to no symptoms. Can take years, most would retire.he has pride drive and will. . Hes become a little quicker even though hes fighting age along w getting good advice to play a role.. In an ideal scenario and we become a team .

I could see him w a. Kid w a good shot or someone who bangs the net which Larson and Gus rarely did and we see a resurgence . i like lazar . Ramsey and Luce had a couple good scoring years. Okposo def gets 10 . Can he will a couple on his own .. So thirteen.. Get a motivated kid or a player clicking that can actually score .. Its a possibility.. These are things that can happen w a good scoring second line ..

And a rookie line w that exceeds expectation.. Its not such a longshot.. The longshots were epically bad mitts staying up 80 games drowning his confidence , a shoulder injury..for Thompson , a welcome thumb injury to cozens and the emergence in camp of pekar , borgen Davidson johnson etc and a few others to fight for what only should be two spots and then hunger to play fir the others in roch... Ill be unpopular and say cozens w ..
A tough choice between a mitts Thompson and pekar as a year and nearly a half of training will help all of them.. I've seen flashes and believe two of three live uo to potential despite being offered up aa kindling by our angry mob.. but i hope a veteran squad pushes the best performers to ten games in Rochester and the board cries that youth should have made the team..

Then we'll know Adams's job was done well as a third center or cozens and veteram winger are gelling w kahun.
Ok will have his best year since 2016 if he stuck to his conditioning like last year.. Go Adams..

 

[HaNotsri]

Since I changed my avatar from Okposo's face to a mountain of Buffalo skulls he's on a five game point streak. The truth is out there.

 

[sabregoat]

Believe it or not, one third thru the season, KO is on pace for his third highest points production of his career. I would not complain if they took the A off and gave him a C. People have complained mainly due to his salary but he is a leader both on and off the ice.

 

[Jacob582]

Believe it or not, one third thru the season, KO is on pace for his third highest points production of his career. I would not complain if they took the A off and gave him a C. People have complained mainly due to his salary but he is a leader both on and off the ice.

Here's what I was wondering. Even if the coach wants to make the call, would Okposo want to be the "C" of a bottom 3 team?