Longtime New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres winger Kyle Okposo has announced his retirement from the NHL in an open letter released by his agency, CAA Hockey.
In the letter, Okposo recounted his dreams of pursuing the NHL and the deep relationships he was able to form around the league. Okposo will be ending a decorated career that spanned 17 NHL seasons, 1,051 games, and, as of a few months ago, one Stanley Cup.
Once he was called up, Okposo didn’t look back — netting five points in his first nine NHL games, then more formally scoring 18 goals and 39 points in 65 games during his rookie season. He jumped up to New York’s second line and held his spot proudly, routinely challenging 20 goals and 50 points — peaking with a career-high 27 goals and 69 points in the 2013-14 season.
Few wingers were as reliable as Okposo, and he carried that responsibility through a move to the Buffalo Sabres in 2016 — signing a seven-year deal in his only experience on the free agent market.
Okposo was selected seventh overall by the Islanders in the 2006 NHL Draft after winning the 2006 USHL Clark Cup Championship with the Des Moines Buccaneers. He followed the draft with two productive years at the University of Minnesota, combining for 51 points in 58 games, before turning pro in the second half of the 2007-08 season.
Leave a Reply