I don't. At 7.1M he is trending towards capdump territory. Big risk by Ottawa.
Confirmed Trade: [OTT/BUF] Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert, and 2026 2nd round pick for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker
- Thread starter MMC
- Start date
LeProspector
AINEC
- Feb 14, 2017
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With the cap going up as much as it is, that contract is going to age like fine wine, even if he doesn’t pop off and continues at his current pace. Fantastic day if you’re an Ottawa Senators fan.
Fantastic day if you are the Sabres, dumping that contract. I didn't think it was possible... A sucker is born every day!
PatLaFontaineASMR
Registered User
When did Reinhart struggle for years in Buffalo? He was on the top line with great metrics. All the guys like Reinhart, Eichel, ROR, or Ullmark were already good before they got traded/left.
Cozens is very much in the tier of Mitts/Ristolainen former top picks who heavily struggled.
LeProspector
AINEC
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It’s funny, I’m sure Ottawa Senators fans thought the same about Norris given his injury history. They save 1M on the cap, while getting a player with potential that is similar in terms of production while getting an extra year of control and the player is 2 years younger.Fantastic day if you are the Sabres, dumping that contract. I didn't think it was possible... A sucker is born every day!
I suppose you could make the case for capdump for capdump. But the extra year is worse given that he is a capdump.
LeProspector
AINEC
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he was a 60 point defensive liability in Buffalo.
And let’s be honest, Ristolainen looks much better in a lesser role now in Philly and the jury is still out on middlestat. I think he produces well in Boston.
LeProspector
AINEC
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I guess we’ll see. Zetterlund and getting out of Norris’ contract is a massive W in my eyes for Ottawa though. Love it.
Those trades didn't move the needle. Just shuffled the deck chairs on the titanic.
PatLaFontaineASMR
Registered User
He was not a defensive liability lmao. He was solid defensively
Yea Risto is on the bottom pair. That's not turning it around & popping off.
LeProspector
AINEC
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if the cap wasn’t going up, I’d agree. But every team is about to get an influx of cap space in the next few years, so the 7M that Cozens carries isn’t going to be a big deal anyway, especially since Ottawa’s core pieces are already locked up.
Stelio Kontos
Registered User
- Nov 6, 2011
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I don't think cap will be an issue for the Sens. I honestly can't se Brady re-upping when his deal is up and may force a trade in the near future. He loves the limelight and big game atmosphere which Ottawa can't provide. His BFF was traded for a similar capdump. He can't be happy. He was crying like a little baby. It was like everything that mattered to him was lost.
Ottawa will have lots of capspace in a few years or potentially sooner.
There are rich teams and there are poor teams. Then there’s 50 feet of crap. Then there’s a rich team that operates like a poor team. And that’s how you get a very lengthy playoff drought, no matter what else is said about it.
frightenedinmatenum2
Registered User
That is what people need to understand about this trade.
They are too focused on the one-dimensional aspect of "Is Norris good or bad at hockey, if he is good, why trade him?"
This trade was bigger than Norris. They didn't trade the player, they traded the circumstance. There are two major factors that go into this trade.
- Staios is moving out as much of the old core/lineup as possible to change the culture of the team.
(My opinion, this isn't something he has openly stated, but you can follow his trades along with the rumour that he supposedly listened on every single asset the team had when he took over to gauge their value.) - The contract of Norris presents a major liability for a small market Canadian team.
(Norris is owed 9.5M per season in real dollars for the next few seasons. He has 6 years left on his contract. Three career shoulder surgeries. He missed around half the possible games he could have played over the last three seasons. Has already missed almost 1 in 6 games this season, despite being "healthy". The Senators as a small market Canadian team may not be in a position to deal with that kind of liability.
The Senators are also very asset poor because under Melnyk, they weren't able to rebuild the same way that other teams like Montreal, and Chicago have. They also burned major assets to try and build excitement around the team with the Debrincat and Chychrun trades. Getting a 2026 2nd Round pick seems pedestrian, but it was massive for the Senators and combined with the cap savings may have enabled them to go out and get Zetterlund.
Sam is not a power forward and all of his fancy stats in Buffalo - and the eye test - were fine. He didn't suddenly become good. Cozens doesn't have the eye test or the fancy stats.
PoutineSp00nZ
Electricity is really just organized lightning.
Norris is definitely the best player in the trade. But Cozens isn't a slouch. Can be a second liner with a less dangerous shot with a smaller cap hit and much less risk of a career ending injury. Which is what the Senators need.
If Norris stays healthy the Sabres get the best player in the deal. The savings made in the deal allowed the Senators to get another scoring winger.
Cozens and Zetterlund > Norris for the Sens.
If Norris stays healthy the Sabres get the best player in the deal. The savings made in the deal allowed the Senators to get another scoring winger.
Cozens and Zetterlund > Norris for the Sens.
Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk
Effortless sexy.
This seems like a good lateral trade and maybe a win for us but the emotional gut punch to Brady and co. could cause some damage.
Staios needs to get into grovel mode with the captain ASAP, so Brady gets into power mode starting tomorrow.
Staios needs to get into grovel mode with the captain ASAP, so Brady gets into power mode starting tomorrow.
Panthaz89
Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Panthers fan
no i'm saying Kevin Adams should get the boot before we make another dumb trade/transaction
TheDawnOfANewTage
Dahlin, it’ll all be fine
- Dec 17, 2018
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Good explanation- the more I think about it the more I’m ok with it. Norris just better not need any cutting-edge surgeries, Tommy don’t play with that.
Cozens will turn it around, he needed a hard reset. Others blame the fight with Hathaway, to me he’s been in his head ever since he signed his big contract. Like, he wanted to score big and impress, but a cold first 20 games and suddenly he’s thinking too much, and it just never really stopped. Now that he has somethin else to think about in a new team, I bet he gets back to his natural game. Speed, shoot or dish early, crash the net. He doesn’t have great hands, but keep him north-south and he should do.
As to Norris- injuries. Injuries concern me, and I originally didn’t get why we spent our player on a lotto ticket. But we’ve officially reached the “f*** it, gotta try somethin” stage, and I like this more than EP, so whatever.
zenthusiast
cybersabre his prophet
- Oct 20, 2009
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I don’t think it’s possible to overstate how low cozens’ hockey iq is. If it was even average he’d be a cornerstone player
Bjornar Moxnes
Fordi fellesskap fungerer
On one hand that also concerns me, on the other hand, personal bias aside, I do legit feel the Senators have more intelligent players that can help him out more. Stützle is obviously one, but pairing Cozens with Giroux, Pinto, etc. would also be great.
zenthusiast
cybersabre his prophet
- Oct 20, 2009
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Yeah, he was one of many hockey-stupid players here. If Ottawa can have someone else leading him by the reins, his athleticism could shine.
Bjornar Moxnes
Fordi fellesskap fungerer
If they absolutely want Cozens to be a C, Giroux would be a must to pair him with, as Cozens can use his speed and pair it nicely with Giroux's IQ.
