The 2023-24 season is already bound to be full of intrigue for the Buffalo Sabres. After narrowly missing the playoffs last season and with a very talented young roster on the rise, they will be looking to not only return to postseason play but to continue to make a name for themselves in the process.
In addition to that, a number of players are approaching significant individual milestones. Jeff Skinner, Kyle Okposo and the newly-acquired Erik Johnson are all within reach of their 1,000th career game and can potentially reach the exclusive club this season. Some are more likely than others, but all three would be grand occasions in what is already looking to be a big year in Buffalo.
Jeff Skinner
The fact that Jeff Skinner is approaching 1,000 games played is astounding given that he’s only 31 years old. Since debuting with the Carolina Hurricanes as an 18-year-old, he’s logged 13 seasons and has missed only 61 of a possible 993 contests, a testament to his durability. The converse is that he holds the dubious distinction of being the active player with the most games played without a playoff appearance, something the Sabres will be looking to remedy this season.
Skinner’s ability to avoid the injured list has been the biggest key to his success as he’s played in all 82 games of a season on four different occasions. It’s allowed him to become one of the best pure goal scorers of this generation with 333 goals (20th among active players). He also resurrected his career after a dreadful two-year stretch with the Sabres and has been one of the biggest reasons for their turnaround, becoming a leader and a fan favorite in the process.
At 932 games played, he could get to 1,000 in March 2024 if he continues to stay healthy, something he’s had no problem with over the years. He’s on pace to become one of the fastest players to reach the exclusive club and it’s crazy to think that he still has many years ahead in his career. Where will he rank on the NHL’s all-time games played list when it’s all said and done?
Kyle Okposo
Entering his 16th year in the NHL, Kyle Okposo‘s journey has taken longer than Skinner’s but isn’t any less remarkable. He sits at 984 games and 1,000 is well within his reach, but him coming anywhere near that mark would have seemed far-fetched at one point. After being drafted in 2006 and debuting in 2008, he had a number of very successful years with the New York Islanders and was one of the most sought-after free agents of the summer of 2016 before signing with the Sabres. Since coming to Buffalo, however, his career has gone in a different direction.
The aftereffects of a serious head injury sustained in his first season with the Sabres led to a long period of personal struggles. Though he was thankfully able to overcome them, his play declined to a point where it seemed as if early retirement was inevitable, but that was when the switch flipped. Okposo rediscovered himself and reclaimed his spot as one of the most integral pieces of the Sabres’ roster, turning many heads in the process.
Okposo’s no longer the scorer that he once was, but his leadership and presence have been every bit as valuable to the growing team and he was named captain this past season in recognition of such. Reaching 1,000 games played seemed unrealistic for him just a few years ago, but the embattled veteran has stayed the course and it would be difficult to not respect his gumption. He could get there as early as November if all goes to plan.
Erik Johnson
The first overall selection of the 2006 Draft (six spots before Okposo), Erik Johnson signed with the Sabres this summer after 13 seasons and a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. He was the exact type of player the team was in need of and, though the odds are less in his favor, he could potentially be the third Sabre to receive a silver stick this season.
Currently at 920 games played, Johnson would be closer to the mark if not for a few significant injuries over the past few years, including a concussion sustained on a hit from now-Sabres teammate Jordan Greenway that caused him to miss nearly the entire COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. Though some speculated that his playing days may have been over at that point, he returned for the 2021-22 season. It proved to be the right choice, as the Avalanche captured their first title since 2001 and knocked off the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the process.
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Johnson has been one of the NHL’s most solid and durable defensemen for years and has had a career worthy of a first-overall selection despite the lack of attention he’s received. He would have to play 80 games this season to reach the historic mark, something that he hasn’t done in five years. However, he’s overcome much greater obstacles, so counting him out wouldn’t be wise.
Sabres Fans Will Have to Keep Watch
The coming season is already guaranteed to be an interesting one for the Sabres, and the 1,000-game chases of the three will only add to it further. Okposo could reach the milestone early in the campaign, while Skinner and Johnson’s wouldn’t be until later on. The stories will obviously be secondary to the team’s pursuit of the postseason but will give fans something extra to pay attention to. Will the Sabres have a trio of 1,000-game milestones this season? We can only wait and see.
