Speculation: Kyle Okposo

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

According to TSN690 Okposo has zero interest in coming to Montreal and refused to even look at an envelope from them.

Fallout from the Subban ordeal?

Doubt that, It's been pretty much stated that he has no desire to play in Canada period. Wants to play close to home near Minnesota or somewhere in the Midwest. I guess he could chose Winnipeg still close to home if Minnesota can't afford him i could definitely see both Detroit and St Louis being involved.

 

[SI90]

Doubt that, It's been pretty much stated that he has no desire to play in Canada period. Wants to play close to home near Minnesota or somewhere in the Midwest. I guess he could chose Winnipeg still close to home if Minnesota can't afford him i could definitely see both Detroit and St Louis being involved.

That's understandable.

 

[Jakey53]

I think he's a solid player who produced well last 3 years. But had an elite guy on his line in JT. Maybe that skewed his point totals, maybe it didn't. Playing him more than 5.5-6 is too much and with a long term it may be regrettable.

You hit the nail on the head. The money people are talking is crazy stupid.

 

[Golden Gophers 4649]

Word from one reporter on a local Twin Cities sports show on Sunday night was that Okposo's wife is insisting they move back to Minnesota. My guess is if true that only stands if the Wild offer money close to what other teams are willing to do.

Patrick Reusse's comment was "thank god for Minnesota girls these NHL players marry."

Obviously, both he and his wife are from here.

 

[Golden Gophers 4649]

Doubt that, It's been pretty much stated that he has no desire to play in Canada period. Wants to play close to home near Minnesota or somewhere in the Midwest. I guess he could chose Winnipeg still close to home if Minnesota can't afford him i could definitely see both Detroit and St Louis being involved.

I completely agree; most likely he's looking at in order:

Minnesota
Detroit
St. Louis
Dallas
Colorado
Winnipeg

Chicago would be on there but they have zero cap space to afford signing another player to big money. The Wild might need to clear a contract (most likely a defenseman) to go higher than $6m.

 

[PWJunior]

Word from one reporter on a local Twin Cities sports show on Sunday night was that Okposo's wife is insisting they move back to Minnesota. My guess is if true that only stands if the Wild offer money close to what other teams are willing to do.

Patrick Reusse's comment was "thank god for Minnesota girls these NHL players marry."

Obviously, both he and his wife are from here.

On a personal level, I would be thrilled if Minnesota signs Okposo. I do know that him and his wife are from there, he has 2 very young children as well. It would be great for him to return home and finally get paid hard.

It seems to me that a top line center is Minnesota's biggest need, why sign yet another winger to a big deal? Also, it's buyer beware with Okposo and he's not the power forward that everyone outside of Isles fans seem to think he is.

 

[Sabretip]

Keep him away from the Sabres please.

Amen to that!

care to explain why?

I see him as a perfect compliment to ROR.

Maybe style-wise but at age 28 and being an average skater.....

He's going to get 7 years x 7.5 million

...that kind of contract offer is destined to be an anchor around a team's neck. Just by the nature of how Okposo plays and with his past injury history, he's destined to break down in 2-3 years and be a shell of himself by the time his contract would end at age 35.

No thanks on the Buffalo side. Let the Leafs or Wings sign him as a consolation prize to Stamkos.

 

[Sabretip]

Word from one reporter on a local Twin Cities sports show on Sunday night was that Okposo's wife is insisting they move back to Minnesota. My guess is if true that only stands if the Wild offer money close to what other teams are willing to do.

Patrick Reusse's comment was "thank god for Minnesota girls these NHL players marry."

Obviously, both he and his wife are from here.

Yeah, that really worked out with Vanek.....

 

[PWJunior]

Yeah, that really worked out with Vanek.....

Vanek wasn't as terrible as it could have been. He was so desperate to sign in Minnesota, he only signed for 3 years. Imagine if he was given a 5-6 year deal, now that would have been even more of a disaster.

If Minnesota gives Okposo a 7 year deal, ouch man.

 

[Sabretip]

Vanek wasn't as terrible as it could have been. He was so desperate to sign in Minnesota, he only signed for 3 years. Imagine if he was given a 5-6 year deal, now that would have been even more of a disaster.

Maybe so - but a buyout in the 2nd of a 3 year deal isn't a ringing endorsement of a good signing either IMO.

 

[PWJunior]

Maybe so - but a buyout in the 2nd of a 3 year deal isn't a ringing endorsement of a good signing either IMO.

The buyout is of the 3rd and final year.

Don't get me wrong, Vanek to Minnesota didn't turn out well at all. Just saying that it could have been much worse. I thank the hockey gods that he turned the Isles down when Snow offered him 7x7, what a bullet dodged there. Whew.

 

[57special]

Vanek wasn't as terrible as it could have been. He was so desperate to sign in Minnesota, he only signed for 3 years. Imagine if he was given a 5-6 year deal, now that would have been even more of a disaster.

If Minnesota gives Okposo a 7 year deal, ouch man.

Maybe so - but a buyout in the 2nd of a 3 year deal isn't a ringing endorsement of a good signing either IMO.

You're both right. If we turn back the clock a couple of years, everyone on HF was congratulating the Wild on the reasonable deal they signed Vanek for.

A 6/36M deal for KO would be potentially disasterous. He is nowhere near the scorer that Vanek was in his prime.

 

[Golden Gophers 4649]

Yeah, that really worked out with Vanek.....

The Wild were smart with the Vanek contract. For a scorer entering his 30 y/o season and getting him for 3 years was a good move it just didn't work here. By the way the Suter/Parise signings worked out just fine. I would give Okposo 5 or 6 years at $5.8-6.2 per.

 

[PWJunior]

The Wild were smart with the Vanek contract. For a scorer entering his 30 y/o season and getting him for 3 years was a good move it just didn't work here. By the way the Suter/Parise signings worked out just fine. I would give Okposo 5 or 6 years at $5.8-6.2 per.

I'm pretty sure Okposo won't be accepting a 5-year deal. It's been reported that term was the stumbling block for the Isles, not the money. You're looking at minimum 6 years and probably 7 considering he's the premier UFA forward with Stamkos off the market. The money is probably at least $6M too. Maybe he accepts 6 years if he gets an NMC, but I don't think anyone seriously wanting him would hesitate at all giving him that security of an NMC with expansion looming.

You can play up the 'going home' thing as much as you want, it won't really bring down the price as he's the top dog of UFA now.

 

[Datsyukian Deke]

Word from one reporter on a local Twin Cities sports show on Sunday night was that Okposo's wife is insisting they move back to Minnesota.

What is it with hockey players wives these days determining where they end up? First Suter & Parise, now possibly Okposo? Interesting...

 

[Mubiki]

Maybe so - but a buyout in the 2nd of a 3 year deal isn't a ringing endorsement of a good signing either IMO.

Vanek's buyout has more to do with Pomminville than Vanek. They can't afford to buyout Pomminville, so Vanek had to take his place on the chopping block.

 

[FourRings]

I think he would fit excellently with what LA does. I wish KO nothing but the best!

 

[Djp]

care to explain why?

I see him as a perfect compliment to ROR.

I dont...here is why...

1. Don't see him as anything special. I look at him like a drew Stafford type.

2. Buffalo has a ton of young wingers in the pipeline.

3. Him Making 7M per causes e the same problem as 10M for Stamkos. You can't be paying 7M or more to 4 forwards 9n one team.

 

[SemONER*]

I'd give him 7x7 from New Jersey... very easily. We still have ~$28M in cap space.

Hall-Henrique-Palmieri
Cammalleri-Zajac-Okposo

I need fresh underwear.

That is literally a complete 180 from what we've been dealing with for the past ~2 seasons.

Lol. That still isn't a great top 6. Average at best.

 

[luki here]

Amen to that!



Maybe style-wise but at age 28 and being an average skater.....



...that kind of contract offer is destined to be an anchor around a team's neck. Just by the nature of how Okposo plays and with his past injury history, he's destined to break down in 2-3 years and be a shell of himself by the time his contract would end at age 35.

No thanks on the Buffalo side. Let the Leafs or Wings sign him as a consolation prize to Stamkos.

Okposo is a very good skater, not sure how well you know him.

 

[HiggsBroson]

What is it with hockey players wives these days determining where they end up? First Suter & Parise, now possibly Okposo? Interesting...

Hahah spoken like an unmarried man. Happy wife happy life

 

[PWJunior]

Okposo is a very good skater, not sure how well you know him.

I wouldn't classify Okposo as a very good skater. I would say above average as he's not a slug. His balance is crap though, he spends a lot of time on his ass.

 

[57special]

The Wild were smart with the Vanek contract. For a scorer entering his 30 y/o season and getting him for 3 years was a good move it just didn't work here. By the way the Suter/Parise signings worked out just fine. I would give Okposo 5 or 6 years at $5.8-6.2 per.

big barf.

 

[57special]

Okposo is a very good skater, not sure how well you know him.

I wouldn't classify Okposo as a very good skater. I would say above average as he's not a slug. His balance is crap though, he spends a lot of time on his ass.

Hmmm...

 

[57special]

What is it with hockey players wives these days determining where they end up? First Suter & Parise, now possibly Okposo? Interesting...

Hahah spoken like an unmarried man. Happy wife happy life

it's all fun and games till the kids come along. Methinks wifey is going nuts being stuck with the kids during long road trips, and wants some family support back in MN. I'm sure the Granparents aren't exactly poo-pooing the idea, either.