Four potential trade destinations for Sabres’ Dylan Cozens

After finishing 12th in the Eastern Conference in 2023-24 and missing the playoffs for a record 13th straight season, the Buffalo Sabres hoped to reverse their fortunes in 2024-25.

Though they may have aimed for a turnaround, their shot sailed wide.

Sitting dead last in the East at present with a 24-29-5 record and 53 points through 58 games, the Sabres have actually regressed from last season. Their road to extending the NHL’s longest playoff drought hasn’t just been cleared — it’s been paved. 

Though no teams have been mathematically eliminated from the post-season just yet, with just 27 games left, Buffalo sits 13 points behind the Detroit Red Wings, who hold the East’s second wild-card spot, so we’re fairly safe making these statements at this point.

Given their bleak position in the standings, the Sabres are once again the subject of trade speculation, with the expectation they will be sellers as the March 7 trade deadline approaches.

One name that repeatedly surfaced in these discussions is Dylan Cozens.

In a market hot for centres — especially young ones with upside — it makes sense the 24-year-old has drawn interest from all around the league. A native of Whitehorse, Yukon, Cozens was drafted seventh overall by the Sabres in 2019 and is in the second year of a seven-year contract with a $7.1 million AAV and a five-team no-trade clause that kicks in for three seasons beginning in 2027-28.

With just 11 goals and 30 points through 58 games, he’s currently on pace for his second-lowest offensive totals in five NHL seasons. His production has been a disappointment for the Sabres, as his 2023-24 totals had also declined from the previous season when he recorded a career-best 31 goals and 68 points in 81 games.

So, where could he land if the team that drafted and developed him opts to move Cozens by the deadline? Here’s a look at four potential destinations that could make sense for both sides.

Vancouver Canucks

Unless you’ve somehow completely avoided trade speculation this season, this probably isn’t the first time you’ve heard the Sabres and Canucks being linked.

It all started back in December when Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman floated what he described as a purely hypothetical trade during an episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, saying, “I want to stress this is purely in my head. Who says no? Cozens and Bowen (Byram) for (Elias) Pettersson?”

Shortly after, during an appearance on CHEK’s Donnie & Dhali show, Friedman expanded on his comments.

“Do I think the Canucks have talked to Buffalo? Yeah, I do. Do I think the Sabres have talked to the Canucks? Yes, I do,” Friedman said. “Do I think that’s the exact combination that they’ve talked about? No, I don’t know that. … I could see Vancouver being interested in (Cozens and Byram), and I could see Buffalo being interested in Pettersson.”

Pettersson has continued to struggle mightily to meet the high expectations surrounding him and his $11.6 million cap hit. With both Pettersson and Cozens struggling to produce, a change of scenery could potentially benefit both players. Any deal involving Pettersson would require the Canucks to receive a top-six centre in return to fill the void left by his departure.

Another trade option involving Cozens could be sending Brock Boeser to Buffalo. The 27-year-old pending unrestricted free agent and the Canucks appear to be at a contract impasse, with CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reporting the holdup is a matter of both “money and term.”

After a 40-goal, 73-point season last year, there’s no doubt Boeser remains an enticing addition for many teams, even with his offence slightly stalled this season. With 36 points, he’s currently third on the Canucks. However, a team like Buffalo would likely only pursue him if they were confident they could sign him to a new deal.

Toronto Maple Leafs

A scenario where the Maple Leafs land Cozens isn’t a simple one, but while ambitious, it’s not out of the realm of possibility — especially with it being far from secret that Toronto is prioritizing their hunt for a second-line centre. 

Their biggest hurdle is the salary cap and the absence of a 2025 first-round pick to offer. Financially, involving a third team could always help facilitate a move.

As Elliotte Friedman noted in his 32 Thoughts blog earlier this month: “Toronto is seeing how high it can go at centre. Won’t be easy, and might not be able to shoot as high as a 2C, but the Leafs are looking. First-round picks matter, and they don’t have one in June.” In a podcast episode, he reiterated, “I think they would love to see if they can swing for a 2C, but it just might not be possible.” That means Toronto would likely have to rely on prospects or roster players as trade bait.

What works in their favour is that Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams reportedly isn’t overly focused on picks or long-term prospects that would signal an extension of their current rebuild. Instead, he’s prioritizing NHL-ready players or current roster pieces who can contribute immediately. However, dealing within the division could further increase Buffalo’s asking price.

The Maple Leafs don’t have a first-round pick this year, but they do have a second-round pick in the upcoming draft and first-round picks from 2026 onwards. Prospects Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin have been mentioned as possible trade pieces, but while two of the three are close to NHL-ready, they may not move the needle for Adams. Max Domi, Nick Robertson and David Kämpf are other forwards that could be part of a package, though it’s worth noting Domi’s 13-team no-trade list could include Buffalo. 

Matthew Knies would likely be their most valuable one-for-one option, but Toronto is unlikely to be willing to move him in the midst of his best NHL season yet.

One potential drawback for the Maple Leafs is Cozens’ lack of playoff experience — having yet to play a single postseason game in his career — making him an untested commodity in high-stakes hockey.

Still, during an episode of Real Kyper & Bourne last month, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos deemed Cozens the ideal trade deadline acquisition for Toronto, though he acknowledged they would have to “ditch some money to make it happen” and “make them an offer they can’t refuse.”

Detroit Red Wings

Hoping to end their eight-season playoff drought — the second-longest streak in the league behind Buffalo — the Red Wings currently hold the second wild-card spot in their conference. However, the race in the East remains tight, with six teams below them sitting between two and five points back, and Columbus ahead of them by just two points. Their spot is far from guaranteed at this point.

To not only secure a post-season berth but also make a push once there, Detroit will likely be looking to upgrade their roster where possible. That makes Cozens a logical target, as he would fill the void left by second-line centre Andrew Copp, who is out for the season with an injury. Once Copp returns, Cozens could also allow him to shift back to the wing.

If the Red Wings were to acquire him, Cozens would rank second on the team in hits with 139, trailing only Moritz Seider (162). He would also be among their top faceoff performers, with a 50.6 per cent win rate — just behind Dylan Larkin (55.5) and Andrew Copp (50.7).

According to Friedman, a trade between the two teams involving Cozens nearly happened leading up to the NHL’s holiday roster freeze back in December.

“There’s definitely not a lot that gets out of Detroit, and there’s not very much that gets out of Buffalo,” Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast in January. “But finally, it got coughed up to me that they believe that the Red Wings were looking at Cozens. … And I will say this, there was a time that a couple people said to me they thought it was close.”

Detroit’s continued interest in Cozens was confirmed earlier this month by ESPN’s Kevin Weekes.

Who could go the other way in this hypothetical in-division trade? One name to consider is Vladimir Tarasenko. The 34-year-old veteran would need to waive his no-trade clause for the third straight year to facilitate a move. While he’s no longer the offensive threat he once was, his experience could provide value for the Sabres, who currently have the youngest roster in the NHL, with an average age of 25.38.

Other potential trade pieces include defenceman Justin Holl and forwards Joe Veleno or Michael Rasmussen. Detroit also has significant cap space ahead of the deadline to help make a deal work, though their main priority may be upgrading their blue line. While the Red Wings have an abundance of picks and prospects to sweeten an offer, Buffalo, as noted, isn’t necessarily focused on futures in exchange for one of their top skaters — understandably so.

Nashville Predators

Unlike the previously mentioned teams, the Predators are not in playoff contention, sitting third-last in the Western Conference with 49 points in 59 games — worse than the Sabres.

After making significant off-season moves, Nashville expected far more success this season than they have enjoyed. Back in December, when their playoff hopes were still alive, Marco D’Amico of Responsible Gambler reported a source said the Predators had “spoken to the Sabres, and one of the players they like is Cozens.”

Trading for Cozens would inject some youth into their roster — currently the 10th-oldest in the NHL (average age: 28.70), with all their major role players north of 30 — while also addressing their need for centre depth.

With both teams already looking ahead to next season, what could the Predators offer that would interest the Sabres? Tommy Novak, Gustav Nyquist, Ryan O’Reilly, Colton Sissons, Michael McCarron, Cole Smith, and prospect Fyodor Svechkov have all been mentioned as potential trade chips.

“I’m trying to gauge the market values on players and see where interests are on certain guys,” Predators general manager Barry Trotz told the Tennessean last week. “Some of my players that teams call about, I’m not that interested in moving, unless they want to pay a premium for certain things.”

O’Reilly appears to be one of those players Trotz values highly. During Saturday Headlines on Hockey Night in Canada in January, Friedman reported that despite O’Reilly not having trade protection in his contract, “he is being treated as if he has a no-move clause.” On the NHL’s 100% Hockey podcast, Trotz also said Nashville would need “a significant young player” in return to consider moving him. 

Well, Cozens certainly fits that bill.

Though O’Reilly has expressed a desire to stay in Nashville, he is familiar with Buffalo, having played there for three seasons. However, his departure from the Sabres was not without some controversy — he openly criticized the organization at the end of the 2017-18 season, accusing them of “being OK with losing.”

While we’ve noted Adams isn’t too interested in accumulating draft picks, the Predators have a stockpile of high-value picks, including three first-rounders in 2025, two second-rounders, plus a first and second in 2026. If the right package included some of those assets, Buffalo would do well to consider it seriously. 

Other potential destinations worth noting: The Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames are two other Canadian teams interested in Cozens, per multiple reports. Other teams that could make sense given their ongoing need for a young, talented upgrade down the middle — though they have not been mentioned as frequently in trade speculation — include the Philadelphia Flyers, Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals.

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