The Buffalo Sabres have announced that they have traded Captain Kyle Okposo to the Florida Panthers. In return, they will receive defenseman Calle Sjalin and a conditional 7th-round pick for the 2024 NHL Draft. If Florida wins the Stanley Cup, that 7th-round pick will upgrade to a 5th-round pick in the 2024 Draft.
The 35-year-old winger is nearing the end of his career and could cap it off with a deep playoff run with the very-stacked Florida Panthers. Florida was one of the teams that Okposo wanted to be traded to and the Sabres did right by their captain.
Okposo was originally drafted 7th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders. He made his NHL debut on March 18, 2008, and scored his first goal just three days later. Okoposo played with the Islanders for nine seasons before signing with the Sabres on July 1, 2016. After wearing the A during the 2021-22 season, he was named captain of the team before the 2022-23 season started. After completing a 7-year contract with the Sabres, he signed a one-year contract extension with Buffalo on May 24, 2023 for $2.5 million.
During his 1045 games in the NHL, Okposo has 614 points (242 goals and 372 assists). He represented the Sabres at the 2017 NHL All-Star Games. He currently has 22 points in 61 games during the 2023-24 season, with 12 goals and 10 assists.
Sjalin most recently played for the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL. He has three assists in 22 games played during the 2023-24 season.
