NHL teams make splashes in opening hour of free agency Milan Lucic and Kyle Okposo, two of the NHL’s top free agents, took full advantage of two of the league’s worst teams. Okposo, coming off a 22-goal year with the New York Islanders, joined the Buffalo Sabres, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2011. NHL teams didn’t waste time making a flurry of deals on the first shift of free agency. None involved a superstar player, not after Steven Stamkos decided to stay in Tampa Bay with an eight-year, $68 million contract earlier this week. The Canucks signed winger Loui Eriksson (six years, $36 million).