Kyle Okposo knew 48 hours before the NHL UFA market opened that he wanted to be a Buffalo Sabre.

That was the same day that the Sabres learned that Steven Stamkos would be leaving their $77 million to $84 million guaranteed contract opportunity on the table. Stamkos opted to remain in Tampa for 8 years at $8.5M AAV per season. Stamkos' loss was Okposo's gain in Buffalo.

The Sabres were solidly in the mix for Stamkos. When Tim Murray learned of Stamkos' case of cold feet, he locked his tractor beam onto Kyle Okposo, the next biggest fish in unrestricted free agency.

This morning, Okposo told WGR that after having conversations about the Buffalo opportunity with Tim Murray and his best friend Matt Moulson that he knew he would thrive in Buffalo.

Okposo said that prior to the UFA signing period that he didn't know all of the insurance and outs of the Sabres organization and the Pegula family. However, after speaking with Murray and Moulson he heard a loud and clear message: sign in Buffalo to win a Stanley Cup championship.

So, at 12:15 EDT on Friday July 1, Okposo gladly signed his seven year, $42 million contract with the Sabres.

Okposo bought what Murray and the Sabres were selling.

"I really believe in my heart that we have a chance to win a Stanley Cup during my tenure," Okposo proudly said.

Buffalo Sabres fans are going to love Okposo's passion for his craft and his love for the game of hockey.

Okposo also issued assists to Ryan O'Reilly and Jack Eichel for their recruitment selling points on "Why Buffalo instead of other NHL cities?"

"Those two were a big factor".

Booker is a wise man. He is a beast of a power winger who loves to fill the net with frozen vulcanized rubber. Okposo knows that a scoring winger needs elite center men to feed him the biscuit. O'Reilly and Eichel will no doubt tee up Okposo for massive one timers and bar down beauties. Samson Reinhart is no slacker either. The former second overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft is one of the best passers that I have seen in the NHL in the past 25 years.

Welcome to Hockey Heaven, Booker.




Thanks, WGR

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