Okposo draws back in for Panthers with Stanley Cup, $500K on the line
Published
Veteran forward Kyle Okposo will draw back in for the Florida Panthers in Game 7 against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night.
The 36-year-old winger should have no shortage of motivation as he replaces Nick Cousins, who took his spot in the lineup for Game 6.
Okposo is pursuing his first career Stanley Cup after a career that has seen him play in 1,051 career games. He also will receive a $500,000 performance bonus if he wins the trophy as part of the one-year, $2.5 million contract he signed with the Buffalo Sabres prior to this season. The bonus will apply to the Panthers' salary cap for next season if the team wins Game 7.
Florida acquired Okposo from the Sabres ahead of the trade deadline for prospect Calle Sjalin and a seventh-round pick, which will elevate to a fifth-rounder if Florida wins the Stanley Cup. He went without a point in six games after joining the Panthers in March and has two assists in 16 games this postseason.
Prior to this spring, the forward last played in the playoffs with the New York Islanders in 2016, posting two goals and eight points in 11 games.