Sabres sign veteran captain to one-year extension

The Buffalo Sabres will have their captain back on the ice in 2023-24. On Wednesday, the team announced a one-year extension worth $2.5M for Kyle Okposo.

Next season will mark Okposo’s 17th campaign in the NHL and his eighth in Buffalo. The 35-year-old right wing is coming off a seven-year, $42M contract signed with the Sabres in 2016.

Named Buffalo’s captain ahead of the 2022-23 season, Okposo has maintained his effectiveness in a bottom-six role, registering 11 goals and 28 points in 75 games. While injuries and inconsistencies have plagued Okposo’s tenure in Buffalo, he has also emerged as an invaluable leader on a young ascending team. He will get to stay the course on this extension as he aims to help guide Buffalo to their first playoff appearance since 2011.

Save for a long-term absence, Okposo will play in his 1,000th NHL game next season. The Minnesota product is currently sitting at 984 NHL games. In that space, he has recorded a total of 230 goals and 592 points.

Since Okposo is aged 35 or older, he is eligible for a contract that includes performance bonuses. Per CapFriendly, Okposo will receive a $500,000 bonus if Buffalo wins the Stanley Cup in 2024.

Because Okposo still provides solid two-way metrics and is far from a liability on the ice, his leadership is not the only thing motivating the extension. He will likely play a more limited role on the team next season, however, given the emergence of their younger core, as well as potential free-agent acquisitions.

After signing Okposo to the extension, the Sabres still have roughly $17M in projected cap space for 2023-24, as listed by CapFriendly.