Kyle Okposo is about to get paid.
He won't be getting his next NHL contract from Garth Snow and the NY Islanders.
Okposo, 28, is a three-time 20 goal scorer who popped 22 goals and 64 points in 79 games in 2015-16.
It blows me away that Okposo earned just $2.8 million this season. Those days are done. Okposo is about to enter the $5.5 million to $6 million echelon.
Pierre LeBrun spoke with Okposo's agent on Monday and it appears as thought the die has been cast.
It’s no surprise, but pending UFA Kyle Okposo is all but certainly headed to the free agent market. At 28, the winger is just entering his prime years, so expect there to be some fairly huge interest in him come July 1. Okposo was second in points on the New York Islanders this past season, with 64 (22-42) in 79 games. His agent, Pat Brisson, did recently chat with Isles GM Garth Snow, but it doesn’t sound like anything developed. “All indications are that we’re headed to free agency with Kyle,’’ Brisson said Monday.
The team that does not win the Steven Stamkos battle royale will win Okposo. The veteran forward is in a no lose situation. Okposo will seemingly double his take home pay in his next contract. Based on his production and value league wide, Okposo will easily earn $5.6M to $6M AAV per season.
Teams vying for Okposo's services include: Buffalo, Tampa, Vancouver, Detroit, Boston, Anaheim, Montreal, and LA.
In 529 career games with the Isles, Okposo scored 139 goals and added 230 assists. He also earned 310 PIMs. In 29 career playoff games, the former 7th overall pick in 2006 has scored 7 goals and 8 assists.
Okposo was a key cog of the wheel that drove the Islanders to the playoffs this season.
Okposo, John Tavares, Matt Martin, Casey Cizickas and Frans Nielsen have been mainstays with the Isles for years.
Okposo, Neilsen, and Martin have likely played their last games ever in Islanders sweaters.
Garth Snow has UFA business to do with his pending UFAs, however, with new owners set to take over control of the Isles from Charles Wang on July 1, there is no saying whether or not Snow will be able to spend to the cap ceiling or of he will be another budget minding GM. Re-signing core UFAs will not be an option for Snow.
Last week, Snow signed RFA Casey Cizickas to a long term contract.
He will likely sign Ryan Strome and Shane Prince to restricted free agent contract extensions.
Snow clearly has no plans of re-signing Okposo. The GM has had last summer and this entire season to negotiate a long term deal with Okposo's agent.
The silence has been deafening.
Okposo will join forwards Steven Stamkos, David Backes, Troy Brouwer on the UFA market. I see Okposo earning a new 4-5 year deal with a $5.5-$6.5M AAV.