If there’s one team I’m convinced will go out of their way to try and acquire Sabres center Dylan Cozens, it’s the Detroit Red Wings. Overall, the Wings don’t have enough edgy players to provide an intimidation factor that’s a prerequisite when the ‘down the stretch’ portion of the season arrives, so Cozens would be valuable there.
If the Sabres dealt Cozens, the acquiring team would get a player with high potential, and one capable of snagging 30-plus goals per season. But to be more realistic, depth scoring and middle-six minutes might be Cozens’ ceiling if we’re being true to ourselves.
He would’ve enjoyed a bounce-back season after struggling last year had that been the case, so I’m clocking Cozens into one of those ‘players who win you championships’ when the level of physicality skyrockets. But he’s also becoming more adept at winning faceoffs. So, if you put him in the circle in the defensive zone, Cozens may’ve found his niche.
And at this point, it’s clear that the Sabres aren’t ready for many niche players to take up space in the lineup. Unlike what we thought the team had a couple of years ago, it’s since become clear that this unit’s core is still far from being a finished product.
Winnipeg Jets
There isn’t a team, at least right now, that I’m more confident in to hoist the Stanley Cup. Winnipeg paces the league in scoring and in goals allowed and they could leave everything as is if they wanted to. But why not strive to make your team better?
Or more physical? Right now, the Jets aren’t even averaging 20 hits per game, so bringing Cozens, who has 121 hits, into the equation, would remedy that issue quickly. Sure, the Jets would need another hard-hitting forward or blueliner, but Cozens lands over two body checks per game, so that alone would be a major help.
He’s got just 11 goals on the year, but joining a team like Winnipeg could bring back that high-octane player we saw, given the way this team can score at will. Again, the Jets don’t need to make a move, but I’m expecting them to anyway, and a blockbuster one at that.
One burning question here is who the Sabres would get in return. A dynamic team like the Jets wouldn’t be keen to trade away any valuable players, given the season they’re having, so this one might involve draft picks and prospects. And to be real, the entire ‘draft pick and prospect’ mentality should be long gone by now.
St. Louis Blues
Because making bold moves for seemingly underperforming players is the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions Doug Armstrong, correct? Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway? Jim Montgomery?
So when I say Dylan Cozens is a possibility for the retooling Blues here, I’m not kidding around. The only real question is, and I feel like I’m repeating myself, who would the Sabres get for him? Or what? There’s no more time to mess around with acquiring draft picks or prospects unless the latter can hop in and start helping the Sabres next season.
Unless that player involves the up-and-down Jordan Kyrou, but if that were the case, expect Armstrong to ask for more than just Cozens. Yeah, he’ll pull off some gutsy moves, but if general manager Kevyn Adams sent Cozens to Gateway City, he’s got to get something solid in return, even if it means moving some more assets.
The likeliest players to leave Arch City are their older talents like Colton Parayko, Brayden Schenn, or Nick Leddy, just to throw a few names out there. For a Sabres team that should be looking for younger yet NHL-ready players, none of the above names sound appetizing.
Vancouver Canucks
Because we all know where this one’s heading, right? Trading Dylan Cozens to the Vancouver Canucks almost guarantees that Elias Pettersson would be part of the deal, and there would be quite a few happy players if that occurred.
This one would involve way more than just Cozens, but Pettersson’s services will start a bidding war at the trade deadline, so I would be more than interested to see how many assets would be shifted around for this one. Even if this trade didn’t involve Pettersson, Brock Boeser would make an excellent consolation.
No, he’s not Elias Pettersson, but Boeser would cost a little less and he’s still young enough to be part of a potential championship window for the Blue and Gold. Hey, why not dream big? Overall, I’d be happy to see the Sabres acquire one or the other since either would figure to be an improvement over Cozens.
Unlike the other two teams listed, the Canucks have more to readily send the Sabres. Yeah, a draft pick or prospect may be involved, but they’re the likeliest team to move sound, proven NHL talent to the City of Good Neighbors.