A report surfaced that Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson has been made available ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. According to an article published by RG, there was a source confirmed that “He is available for trade, and that is a piece the team is willing to part with in order to get that scoring presence they have wanted for three seasons.” With the Buffalo Sabres taking calls on center Dylan Cozens, the Islanders should try to acquire Cozens before it’s too late.
Cozens has struggled most of the season, scoring only 26 points in 53 games. A player that two years ago was looked at as a potential 75-80-point player is now struggling to put up 40 points a season. He desperately needs a change of scenery, as things are not working out in Buffalo right now.
However, multiple teams have been calling the Sabres about him, including the Vancouver Canucks, who were possibly going to trade Elias Pettersson for Cozens and Bown Byram, but that deal fell through. The Islanders could use a young center like Cozens, as they not only lack center depth but also just lack young talent as well.
Islanders Could Use Cozens to Improve Depth
The Islanders’ depth down the middle could use some work. With Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson already as the top two centers on the roster, Cozens wouldn’t need to do a whole lot. He could slot in as the third-line center or even be put on the wing. Either way, Cozens helps the Islanders now.
With Mathew Barzal out indefinitely and suffering what is believed to be a season-ending injury, the team just lost one of its best players, but the team is still playing great hockey without him. If the Islanders can call the Sabres and offer them a trade package without giving up too many assets and try to buy low on Cozens, that’d be ideal. Unfortunately for them, I don’t think that will be the case.
One thing to note is that Cozens is making $7.1 million on his current contract with five more years left on it following this season. With the Islanders only having $2.275 million in cap space heading into the trade deadline, they’d need to move some money around in order to make a trade work. That’s why I think, in a trade for Cozens, you’d have to trade either Nelson, Barzal, or Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
Can a Trade Realistically Work?
Let’s dive into the logistics of this entire scenario. Nelson currently has a cap hit of $6 million and is set to be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after this season. There are trade rumors surrounding him, but it has not been reported that the Islanders are actively shopping him. Barzal is making $9.15 million for six more seasons after this season. With the Islanders in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, maybe involving him in a trade could work. Granted, they signed him to a long-term deal not too long ago, so the Islanders trading him is a long shot, but you never know. Finally, Pageau is making $5 million dollars for one more season after this season before he becomes a UFA. He is the most realistic option that could be traded from the team.
If you’re the Sabres, making a trade work for either of those three players is going to be difficult. Especially for Barzal. If the Sabres cannot make a deal work in trying to acquire those three players I just listed off, then they could pivot to Dobson.
Dobson is on long-term injured reserve, so the Sabres wouldn’t have him in the lineup right away. He is making $4 million the rest of the season before becoming a restricted free agent (RFA), and he’ll be arbitration-eligible. Dobson is known for his offensive capabilities, but before he went out with an injury in mid-January, he was playing some good defense. According to evolving-hockey.com, he’s in the 77th percentile in defense. If he brought that to the Sabres, he could improve their blue line the second he gets inserted into the lineup.
Now, I have a blockbuster mock trade that would shake up the NHL.
Islanders acquire:
Sabres acquire:
Both Dobson and Byram are RFAs after this season and the Sabres would probably end up paying Dobson just a hair less than Byram. Dobson is a right-handed defenseman, a dire need for the Sabres. He can play with Rasmus Dahlin on the top pair. They also add Barzal, who can help contribute more scoring to the Sabres’ lineup. Plus, he’s developed a nice two-way game, as he ranks in the 93rd percentile in defense.
The Islanders get arguably a better defenseman in Byram and a tad downgrade in Cozens, but maybe head coach Patrick Roy can work his magic on Cozens like he did Barzal. Cozens can definitely become a 60-point guy again on the Islanders. Ostlund is a prospect in the Sabres organization and is playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Rochester Americans. The Islanders have a need for prospects and Ostlund helps with adding to the prospect pool. If not Ostlund, then the Islanders can opt for Isak Rosen, who is currently tearing up the AHL.
Should the Islanders try to acquire Cozens ahead of the deadline? If so, what could a realistic trade look like?
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