PHOTO COURTESY OF NHL.COMSt. Paul native completes 17th NHL season at the top of the game
St. Paul native and former Minnesota Gopher Kyle Okposo became the latest Minnesota-born player to hoist the Stanley Cup after the Florida Panthers defeated Edmonton Monday, June 24 2-1.
Okposo was acquired by the Panthers on March 8 from Buffalo for defenseman Calle Stalin and a conditional draft pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
A product of Shattuck-St, Mary’s in Faribault, Okposo was drafted 7th overall in the 2006 NHL Draft by the New York Islanders after notching 27 goals for Des Moines in the USHL. He joined the Gophers the following season and had 40 points as a freshman. He returned for his sophomore season, but left half way through the year to join the New York Islanders, winning a three-year entry level contract.
After a brief stint in the AHL, he joined the parent club before the end of the 2008 season and a year later led the Islanders with 18 goals as a 20-year-old rookie. He played parts of nine seasons with the Islanders before signing a seven-year $42 million contract with Buffalo in 2016. He became an all-star in 2017. He played eight seasons with Buffalo and was named captain in 2022. He played his 1,000th game on Nov. 14, 2023.
He played six regular season games with Florida and finished the season with 12 goals and 10 assists between the two teams. After playing in the series’ first five games, he was healthy scratch for Florida in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals, but was told during the morning skate that he would be suiting up for Game 7. He played 12 shifts, logging 7:51 and won one face-off.
In his 17-year career, Okposo has been a resilient and consistent player who has produced 242 goals and 372 assists for 614 points.
After Game 7, Okposo was the third Florida player to raise the cup during the on-ice celebration.
Afterwards he skated around the ice with his four children, who were a big part of why he is still playing hockey.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Okposo said: “I almost retired, and they’re a big reason why I didn’t. I wanted to have one more crack at it, and I just wanted to put myself in the best position to do this. The fact that they’re here, and they’re able to experience it with me, it means everything.”
Kyle Okposo Stats
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2003–04 | Shattuck–Saint Mary’s | HSMN | 71 | 46 | 53 | 99 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Shattuck–Saint Mary’s | HSMN | 65 | 47 | 45 | 92 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Des Moines Buccaneers | USHL | 50 | 27 | 31 | 58 | 56 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 8 | ||
| 2006–07 | University of Minnesota | WCHA | 33 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 30 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | University of Minnesota | WCHA | 18 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | 35 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | New York Islanders | NHL | 9 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | New York Islanders | NHL | 65 | 18 | 21 | 39 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 | New York Islanders | NHL | 80 | 19 | 33 | 52 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | New York Islanders | NHL | 38 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | New York Islanders | NHL | 79 | 24 | 21 | 45 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | New York Islanders | NHL | 48 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 38 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 2013–14 | New York Islanders | NHL | 71 | 27 | 42 | 69 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | New York Islanders | NHL | 60 | 18 | 33 | 51 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | New York Islanders | NHL | 79 | 22 | 42 | 64 | 51 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 4 | ||
| 2016–17 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 65 | 19 | 26 | 45 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 76 | 15 | 29 | 44 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 78 | 14 | 15 | 29 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 52 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 35 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 74 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 75 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 61 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | ||
| NHL totals | 1,051 | 242 | 372 | 614 | 554 | 41 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 21 | ||||
KYLE OKPOSO NOTES & TRANSACTIONS (NHL.com)
- USHL All-Rookie Team (2006)
- USHL First All-Star Team (2006)
- USHL Rookie of the Year (2006)
- WCHA All-Rookie Team (2007)
- WCHA Second All-Star Team (2007)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (2017)
- Signed as a free agent by Buffalo, July 1, 2016.
- Traded to Florida by Buffalo for Calle Sjalin and a conditional pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, March 8, 2024.
Minnesotans who have won the Stanley Cup (courtesy of Vintage Minnesota Hockey/https://www.vintagemnhockey.com)
Year | NHL Team | Player | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1907 | Kenora Thistles | *Roxy Beaudro | Red Lake Falls |
| 1934 | Chicago Blackhawks | Leroy Goldsworthy | Two Harbors |
| 1934 | Chicago Blackhawks | Doc Romnes | White Bear Lake |
| 1938 | Chicago Blackhawks | Cully Dahlstrom | Minneapolis |
| 1938 | Chicago Blackhawks | Virgil Johnson | Minneapolis |
| 1938 | Chicago Blackhawks | Mike Karakas | Eveleth |
| 1938 | Chicago Blackhawks | Doc Romnes | White Bear Lake |
| 1939 | Boston Bruins | Frank Brimsek | Eveleth |
| 1941 | Boston Bruins | Frank Brimsek | Eveleth |
| 1977 | Montreal Canadiens | Mike Polich | Hibbing |
| 1980 | New York Islanders | Dave Langevin | St. Paul |
| 1981 | New York Islanders | Dave Langevin | St. Paul |
| 1982 | New York Islanders | Dave Langevin | St. Paul |
| 1983 | New York Islanders | Dave Langevin | St. Paul |
| 1984 | Edmonton Oilers | Don Jackson | Bloomington |
| 1985 | Edmonton Oilers | Don Jackson | Bloomington |
| 1986 | Montreal Canadiens | Tom Kurvers | Minneapolis |
| 1986 | Montreal Canadiens | David Maley | Edina |
| 1989 | Calgary Flames | Joel Otto | Elk River |
| 1993 | Montreal Canadiens | Sean Hill | Duluth |
| 1995 | New Jersey Devils | Neal Broten | Roseau |
| 1995 | New Jersey Devils | Tom Chorske | Minneapolis |
| 1995 | New Jersey Devils | Chris McAlpine | Roseville |
| 1995 | New Jersey Devils | Mike Peluso | Coleraine |
| 1999 | Dallas Stars | Jamie Langenbrunner | Cloquet |
| 1999 | Dallas Stars | Derek Plante | Cloquet |
| 2001 | Colorado Avalanche | Dan Hinote | Elk River |
| 2001 | Colorado Avalanche | Shjon Podein | Rochester |
| 2003 | New Jersey Devils | Jamie Langenbrunner | Cloquet |
| 2004 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Ben Clymer | Bloomington |
| 2006 | Carolina Hurricanes | Matt Cullen | Virginia |
| 2006 | Carolina Hurricanes | Bret Hedican | North St. Paul |
| 2007 | Anaheim Ducks | Ryan Carter | White Bear Lake |
| 2007 | Anaheim Ducks | Joe Motzko | Bemidji |
| 2009 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Alex Goligoski | Grand Rapids |
| 2010 | Chicago Blackhawks | Dustin Byfuglien | Roseau |
| 2013 | Chicago Blackhawks | Nick Leddy | Eden Prairie |
| 2016 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Matt Cullen | Virginia |
| 2017 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Matt Cullen | Virginia |
| 2018 | Washington Capitals | Travis Boyd | Edina |
| 2018 | Washington Capitals | Shane Gersich | Chaska |
| 2018 | Washington Capitals | Matt Niskanen | Virginia |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Ryan McDonagh | St. Paul |
| 2021 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Ryan McDonagh | St. Paul |
| 2022 | Colorado Avalanche | Eric Johnson | Bloomington |
| 2024 | Florida Panthers | Kyle Okposo | St. Paul |
* Roxy Beaudro, born in Red Lake Falls, MN in 1884, moved to Rat Portage (Kenora) around 1890 and was the 1st American born & Minnesota player – along with teammate Si Griffis of Onaga, Kansas – to capture the Stanley Cup in January of 1907.
