University of Minnesota Athletics
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/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Buffalo Sabres
Okposo Played NHL Game No. 1,000 Tuesday
11/15/2023 10:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey, M Club
7th former Gopher to reach milestone
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Kyle Okposo, a former University of Minnesota men's hockey forward, played the 1,000th game of his National Hockey League career Tuesday night as he skated with the Buffalo Sabres against the Boston Bruins inside KeyBank Center.
A native of St. Paul, Minn., the Sabres' captain was honored during a special pregame ceremony on the ice before he officially became the seventh player in Minnesota history to play in NHL game No. 1,000.
The seventh-overall selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, Okposo has played 17 NHL seasons with the Sabres and Islanders, totaling 595 career points, which ranks sixth in program history for NHL scoring. He became the 46th active player to reach 1,000 career games and the first to do so in a Buffalo uniform since Jason Pominville in 2018.
In just over one full season with the Maroon and Gold, Okposo showcased his offensive talents to the tune of 51 points (26 goals, 25 assists) in 58 career outings. That was highlighted by a 40-point freshman campaign that earned him All-WCHA Second Team and All-WCHA Rookie Team honors in 2006-07. Ten of his goals for the Gophers came on the power play, while four went down as game winners.
Out of the seven former NCAA players still active in the NHL, three are products of Minnesota after Okposo joined Gophers' teammates Blake Wheeler (1,132) and Alex Goligoski (1,044) in reaching the milestone.
Most NHL Games by a Former Gopher
Phil Kessel - 1,209
Blake Wheeler - 1,132
Neal Broten - 1,099
Mike Ramsey - 1,070
Thomas Vanek - 1,029
Alex Goligoski - 1,044
Kyle Okposo - 1,000
*Regular season only*
A native of St. Paul, Minn., the Sabres' captain was honored during a special pregame ceremony on the ice before he officially became the seventh player in Minnesota history to play in NHL game No. 1,000.
The seventh-overall selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, Okposo has played 17 NHL seasons with the Sabres and Islanders, totaling 595 career points, which ranks sixth in program history for NHL scoring. He became the 46th active player to reach 1,000 career games and the first to do so in a Buffalo uniform since Jason Pominville in 2018.
In just over one full season with the Maroon and Gold, Okposo showcased his offensive talents to the tune of 51 points (26 goals, 25 assists) in 58 career outings. That was highlighted by a 40-point freshman campaign that earned him All-WCHA Second Team and All-WCHA Rookie Team honors in 2006-07. Ten of his goals for the Gophers came on the power play, while four went down as game winners.
Out of the seven former NCAA players still active in the NHL, three are products of Minnesota after Okposo joined Gophers' teammates Blake Wheeler (1,132) and Alex Goligoski (1,044) in reaching the milestone.
Most NHL Games by a Former Gopher
Phil Kessel - 1,209
Blake Wheeler - 1,132
Neal Broten - 1,099
Mike Ramsey - 1,070
Thomas Vanek - 1,029
Alex Goligoski - 1,044
Kyle Okposo - 1,000
*Regular season only*
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