Not only has Kyle Okposo had a good season, but he is now considered a father figure to the Buffalo Sabers and is expected to be named captain.
The Athletic’s Tim Graham gave Buffalo Sabers fans a little treat yesterday. He hinted who will be the next captain.
Although nothing is official, it makes perfect sense. Kyle Okposo is expected to be the next Sabers captain. After enjoying a rebounding season where he scored 21 goals and registered 24 assists in 74 games played last year according to NHL.com, that only gives him more reason to be captain.
If you strip away the stats, Okposo has the makings of a captain. The 34-year-old is entering his 16th NHL season, so he definitely has the experience. As Sabers fans discovered with the last captain, just because you’re the best player on the team doesn’t mean you have the mindset to be captain.
That being said, Okposo is the perfect choice to be Buffalo’s next captain. Heading into next season, it will be the last year of his contract, but even though he’s an unrestricted free agent after the 2022-23 season, no one deserves to have the C on his jersey more than Kyle.
Why Kyle Okposo will be named the next Buffalo Sabers captain
It’s no secret that his career at Buffalo has been full of ups and downs, so being named captain would be pretty cool. I want to take that off the hockey side for a minute. Last May, the city of Buffalo experienced a tragic moment in a mass supermarket shooting. Days after the shooting, most of the athletes from Buffalo’s sports teams showed up to pay their respects and help, including Kyle.
Just from a human perspective, Okposo is a great person and that’s just another reason why he’s the right choice. At the end of last season, he won the Rick Martin Memorial Award, given to the Sabers player who exemplifies on-ice excellence, resilience and dedication to the community. The other finalists for the award were Alex Tuch and Jeff Skinner, but the majority of fans thought Okposo should receive the award and he did.
Okposo embodies what it means to be a Buffalo Saber. He bleeds blue and gold and speaks not only of the team, but also of the city of Buffalo. His leadership is exactly what you want your captain to be and he’s down to earth after a win or a loss.
As previously mentioned, nothing is finalized yet but Kyle SHOULD be named the next captain of the Buffalo Sabers.
(Stats provided by Hockey-Reference)
