Okposo dons Sabres blue and gold: 'The future is bright'

Kyle Okposo is staying in New York state, but he's officially a member of the Buffalo Sabres now. And he couldn't be happier about it.

The former New York Islanders sniper put on a Sabres jersey for the first time Thursday when he was introduced to the media at a press conference, and he's nothing but excited about up-and-coming Buffalo's prospects.

"We're going to be a good team for a long time, and it's going to be a fun organization to play in," Okposo said, according to the Buffalo News' John Vogl.

In fact, that was Okposo's message to prized collegiate free-agent Jimmy Vesey, whose rights were acquired by the Sabres last month. Vesey plans to hit the market on Aug. 15, but is scheduled to meet with the Sabres on Thursday.

"When you have the Pegulas at the helm, it's going to be a great organization," Okposo added. "We're going to be contenders. That's something that isn't always there on teams. I know that personally. We went through a really tough stretch with the Island. There's not going to be those rough times ahead. We're going to be good."

Now 28, Okposo played his first full season with the Islanders in 2008-09, his first of four straight last-place finishes. New York turned the corner in the lockout-shortened 2013 season, making the playoffs, but were eliminated in the first round. They missed the playoffs in 2014, before qualifying again the last two seasons. Okposo has seven goals and eight assists in 24 postseason games.

While he's leaving behind John Tavares, Okposo is joining a club that boasted four 20-goal scorers last season in Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Ryan O'Reilly, and Evander Kane.

"There's so much skill, and the future is bright. I really believe that we can win here, and that's what sold me," Okposo said. "That's why you play the game. You play the game to win a Stanley Cup, to win a championship, to raise banners. I think this team has the ability to do that."