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Minnesota Wild Should Sign Kyle Okposo

By Turner Olson |
Apr 20, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo (21) shoots the puck during warmups prior to game four of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo (21) shoots the puck during warmups prior to game four of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Wild are in need of more offensive firepower, and 28 year old Kyle Okposo is the perfect free agent target for a team looking for serious forward help.

It is clear after a 2015-16 season that saw the Minnesota Wild go through a prolonged goal drought in January that the team needs to score more in order to be considered among the top teams in the Western Conference.

While some improvement can be expected from the team’s younger players, the Wild cannot afford to sit back and do nothing in free agency. This is a team that is designed to win in the immediate future with aging stars in Parise, Suter, and Koivu.

Okposo’s fit on the Wild is obvious to any observer.  The top six forwards as the roster is currently constructed should include Koivu, Parise, Coyle, Granlund, Zucker, and Vanek. However, given the fact that Zucker and Vanek had terrible years last season, they should not be rewarded with top six roles. That leaves at least one spot on the top two lines open for Okposo, and so the team should make every effort to sign the 28 year old to fill one of those spots.

From Okposo’s perspective, it would be enticing to join the list of players who have returned to Minnesota to play for the Wild. This seems to be a trend among free agents and would join Parise, Suter, and Vanek as players with ties to the area on the Wild roster.

Additionally, a move to the Wild would give him the opportunity to build his brand outside of the shadow cast in New York by John Tavares.  A Wild roster devoid of star power would offer him the opportunity to prove that he can be successful without Tavares lined up next to him.

Okposo offers massive value and would provide the Wild solid offensive contributions. The most obvious place where he can make an impact is in the goal column. Last season he finished with 22 goals and 64 points on the Islanders. For reference, those totals would have been 2nd and 1st on the Wild last season had he been with the team.

Given that the team is likely looking at a long-term deal of four years or more, it would be wise to take other years into account as well. Looking back at how he has performed over his last five full seasons, Okposo has averaged 22 goals and 56 points per season. It is worth noting that in his last two healthy seasons, those averages jump to 24.5 goals and 66.5 points. Seeing as he is just entering his prime, it is fair to expect him to produce somewhere in the area of 20 goals and 60 points for the next couple seasons.

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That type of production on the Wild would add to their already deep forward group (9 forwards finished with eleven or more goals last year) and hopefully add the elusive final piece.  A lack of consistent scoring has prevented this team from consistently being one of the top teams in the Western Conference. The addition of Okposo would instantly upgrade the top six forwards of the Wild and make this team a more dangerous scoring threat to the league’s top teams.

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