Confirmed Trade: [OTT/BUF] Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert, and 2026 2nd round pick for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker

[KeyserSoze81]

Guys leave the Sabres they find new life
It's a bad organization..Maybe the worst of the 4 Big sports, though Jets are up there.

I mean, yes and no. Eichel, Reinhart, and O'Reilly were already top talents, and found success with better roles, usage, and team situations. Montour exploded in a contract year on a Stanley Cup winning all star team. Mittelstadt was moderately successful on the Sabres, and then has been moderately successful on the Avs (to the point that they have been considering trading him). Ristolainen looked a little better in a reduced role (ie usage related).

I think Cozens could definitely find success as a winger (which minimizes responsibility and is more forgiving of gaffes). As a center, those low hockey IQ plays are magnified. Buffalo really did not have space for him on the wing, and also never tried it. So getting a 2 way center makes some sense, even if he has no shoulders and needs a guardian helmet.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

The context you have to take is

One thing to note is Norris isn't great 5on5. He only has 12 points this year vs 25 for Cozens.

Norris is great on special teams though.

Sabres play a very unstructured run and gun system, which inflates scoring.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

Terrible move by Adams.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Conversely, Sens need another top 6 RHS winger, as Pinto has shown he's clearly capable of being a shutdown 2C. Could be win-win for both teams, or lose-lose.

I mean, yes and no. Eichel, Reinhart, and O'Reilly were already top talents, and found success with better roles, usage, and team situations. Montour exploded in a contract year on a Stanley Cup winning all star team. Mittelstadt was moderately successful on the Sabres, and then has been moderately successful on the Avs (to the point that they have been considering trading him). Ristolainen looked a little better in a reduced role (ie usage related).

I think Cozens could definitely find success as a winger (which minimizes responsibility and is more forgiving of gaffes). As a center, those low hockey IQ plays are magnified. Buffalo really did not have space for him on the wing, and also never tried it. So getting a 2 way center makes some sense, even if he has no shoulders and needs a guardian helmet.

 

[Cosmix]

Norris had one great season when he got PP time and goals from slap shots from the right face-off dot. He is not a great playmaker. Not worth $8M AAV.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

The context you have to take is

Sabres play a very unstructured run and gun system, which inflates scoring.

But structure usually benefits the best players, so Cozens may bloom here.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Im completely shocked that Cozens makes $7.1 a year. Based on one good year? Wow.

 

[SpezDispenser]

I hope we plan on utilizing the cap space we gained here. We still need a top 6 winger

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

But structure usually benefits the best players, so Cozens may bloom here.

The issue is Green's system has removed the offense of pretty much everyone, and only Nashville has a worse shooting percentage on high danger chances than the Sens 5on5.

 

[Forsbergaura21]

So does this mean Buffalo will try to play Norris with Peterka and Thompson?

I think that would make a lot of sense. Kulich is not a #1 center…and I still feel he is better on the wing

 

[SensontheRush]

Mitts has never and will never break 20 goals, agree to disagree. You're also forgetting that the most important ability is availability. Norris is another shoulder surgery just waiting to happen, as much as I like the player

Did you see the WSH player get dropped by Norris the other night? Dude collided with Norris' shoulder and Norris didn't even flinch.

Norris has worked through his shoulder issues now and they are a thing of the past.

 

[guyzeur]

how

I hope we plan on utilizing the cap space we gained here. We still need a top 6 winger

So how much did we gain again? 1 million?

 

[Reddawg]

Im completely shocked that Cozens makes $7.1 a year. Based on one good year? Wow.

Half of one good year

 

[nbwingsfan]

Vastly overpaid player for vastly overpaid player.

Change of scenery that could work, or both teams essentially shuffled the deck

 

[Djp]

Fax machine broken?

 

[Mattilaus]

Norris had one great season when he got PP time and goals from slap shots from the right face-off dot. He is not a great playmaker. Not worth $8M AAV.

This, but for Cozens, half a season, and $7.1 AAV

 

[Sensatauro]

FFS. Sabres winning this trade big time. Norris is the best player in this trade.

The injury bug won't last with Norris. I wo t go into details. But yeah. Good job Buffalo. You're gonna be pleasantly surprised with Norris. Typical Sens, give up early on everyone

 

[Chainshot]

Who’s the 3rd member of the family line with Dylan Cozens and Nick Cousins?

Dylan Nixon.

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I am not sure TSN spends much time watching the Sabres (why would they, they aren't sadists) but the entire crew trying to talk Cozens up as someone to take the physical load off of Tkachuk as a fighter might need more than a little brake pumping. Has he shown he's game? At times, sure. He's also gotten absolutely dismantled by actual tough players like Hathaway and umm... Jesperi Kotkaniemi???

Man, this is so much a flashback to the Myers deal in terms of how the panel is talking about the player.

 

[Barsky]

Did you see the WSH player get dropped by Norris the other night? Dude collided with Norris' shoulder and Norris didn't even flinch.

Norris has worked through his shoulder issues now and they are a thing of the past.

They will never be a thing of the past, you don't understand how much of a compromised design shoulders are, especially ones that have seen as much damage as his, as young as he is. This is a great move if it happens

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

Back? He never played for Sens.

If the Sens get Peterka back, I will build a statue of Staios in the same design as David by Michaelangelo.

Peterka never played for Sens .

 

[JKG33]

TSN panel seems to be hammering on the fact that getting Cozens means Tkachuk will have to fight less because Cozens will pick up some of that load.

Listen, I like Cozens. He’s not a fighter by any stretch. Sure, he has, but if let’s be real here.

It's the Canadian media. No deal a Canadian team makes will ever be bad

 

[Inf4mous0ne]

Back? He never played for Sens.

Peterka never played for Sens .

I think he means back in the trade, as in, "in exchange for" Although that said, ever since his draft, Sens fans have felt he should have been ours

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I think he means back in the trade, as in, "in exchange for" Although that said, ever since his draft, Sens fans have felt he should have been ours

I think he means back in the trade, as in, "in exchange for" Although that said, ever since his draft, Sens fans have felt he should have been ours

Back in the trade, yes, sisters.

 

[Bone Density]

 

[SpezDispenser]

how

So how much did we gain again? 1 million?

I think about that. Maybe 1.5, so we can acquire a 4 million dollar player because we're 2/3rds of the way through the season, right?