The Florida Panthers are the top team in the NHL. They currently sit above the entire league with a record of 43-17-4 with 90 points. Additionally, they’ve won eight of their last ten games.
The trade deadline has come and gone, and Florida has already made a couple of moves to offer depth pieces to their forward core. On Friday, they got a huge veteran presence to assist their forward corps. That forward is former Buffalo Sabres captain Kyle Okposo.
Okposo’s Seen it All in His 16 Season-long Career
Okposo has seen it all across the NHL. The New York Islanders drafted him seventh overall in 2006, but he would not play his first game until the following season. He scored two goals in his first nine games and tallied three assists. Eventually, he would play for the Islanders for eight more seasons. Throughout his time in Long Island, he found the back of the net 355 times and piled up 230 assists. In 24 playoff games for the Isles, he scored seven goals and assisted on eight others.
In 2016, he signed with the Buffalo Sabres. In that season, he was named to the 2017 All-Star Game. At the end of that season, he had a bad reaction to the medication he was taking to fight off concussions. As a result, he missed the rest of the regular season, and it was unknown if he’d play hockey again.
It all worked out in the end, and he was back on the ice the following season. He would spend seven seasons with the Sabres and was named captain last season. As a Sabre, he scored 103 goals and assisted on 142 others. His experience will make him a perfect fit for Paul Maurice’s roster.
Valuable Experience and Leadership
Okposo has seen the game of hockey change after nearly twenty years of playing in the NHL. This includes multiple playoff appearances.
His experience is priceless for the coaching staff and the roster, one of the biggest reasons general manager Bill Zito brought him into the fray.
“Kyle is an exceptionally respected veteran who brings leadership and a competitive edge to our team, and we are thrilled to be able to add him to our group,” said Zito.
Bill Zito on Acquiring Kyle Okposo
Additionally, his leadership resume is respected. He was given the “C” in Buffalo and wore the “A” for the Islanders for a while. He is a leader at heart.
He Comes Home to Familiar Faces
When Okposo arrives in Broward County, he’ll see some friends he was on the ice with in Buffalo. This includes forwards Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues, along with defenseman Brandon Montour. It definitely won’t feel like Buffalo weather down in South Florida, but he’ll feel as if he never was traded with the people he’s around.
His Style of Play is Welcomed for a Playoff Push
Okposo still plays a hard-nosed type of game. With how rugged the postseason can get, they’ll need his services to go on a deep run and stand tall. Especially considering how badly they were injured last postseason.
He’ll likely join the bottom six, which features gritty forwards such as Ryan Lomberg and Kevin Stenlund. He’ll be a perfect depth piece when he is called upon.
Does it Put Them Over the Top?
Florida has made some small splashes this deadline. Furthermore, the way the team has been playing lately shows they have a bitter taste in their mouth from last season’s defeat.
But the front office is doing everything possible to put them over the top while not trying to destroy too much chemistry on the current roster. The way the roster played was nothing short of incredible, and adding some small pieces should not interrupt the team’s dynamics. But the team is showing they’re going all in to try and get the holy grail of hockey for the first time in franchise history. If it happens, it’ll be a dream come true for the team and Okposo after being in the league for nearly two decades.
More must-reads: