The Buffalo Sabres are not having the best season in 2024-25. Buffalo is careening toward its 14th straight campaign without postseason hockey. Buffalo has shown a willingness to shake up its roster in the past. And they may do so again if any trade rumors around center Dylan Cozens are to be believed.
A few days ago, reports indicated that Cozens may be on the trade block. However, we have received a much clearer picture of the matter. The Sabres are receiving calls for Cozens and he ‘legitimately’ wanted, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
“Buffalo is getting calls on Dylan Cozens. This would terrify me if I were the Sabres, vultures circling overhead while player and team struggle. Right-shot centre, 23 years old, two years removed from a 30-goal season. He’s also signed for five more seasons at a $7.1M AAV, helping his value. I would be very, very careful with this because he’s legitimately wanted,” Friedman wrote on Friday for his “32 Thoughts” column.
Cozens is a former top-10 pick of the Sabres from the 2019 NHL Draft. As Friedman mentioned, he has a 30-goal season under his belt while being signed to a modest cap hit given his age and potential. However, he has struggled this season. Cozens has scored six goals and 13 points in 29 games. This puts him on pace for 17 goals and 37 points, which would represent a decline from his 2023-24 production.
Potential Dylan Cozens trade is not unprecedented for Sabres
For better or worse, the Sabres have shown a willingness to shake up their roster. Highly touted prospects and even one-time franchise cornerstones have been traded over the last few years. A Dylan Cozens trade in 2024-25 would be another in a line of striking deals for the Sabres.
The most notable example came in 2021. The Sabres traded former captain Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights. This move certainly involved more than a simple shakeup of the roster. In any event, Buffalo still traded their best player in that deal.
2021 also saw Buffalo move other key players. Sam Reinhart went to the Florida Panthers after the 2021 NHL Draft. And Taylor Hall, who had signed a one-year contract, went to the Boston Bruins.
A more recent example came just last season. The Sabres needed to potentially extend center Casey Mittelstadt. However, the team did not show any signs of contention. So, Buffalo made the proverbial “hockey trade.” The Sabres traded Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for defenseman Bowen Byram.
The Sabres are certainly not shy about making moves involving their promising or established stars. Many GMs across the NHL talk about shaking things up every year. Buffalo walks the walk no matter who is in charge. Whether this precedent continues with Cozens remains to be seen.
