Last week, I published a text mentioning that the management of the Buffalo Sabers was receiving a lot of calls about Dylan Cozens. It seems that a Western team is particularly interested in acquiring the services of the 23-year-old striker.
Marco D’Amico, assigned to the cover of the Canadian, wrote this morning on the site Responsible Gambler that, according to a source close to the matter, the Nashville Predators would be particularly interested in the services of Dylan Cozens. The source in question mentioned that discussions would have taken place between the Sabers and the Predators and that Nashville held the 7th overall pick in the 2019 draft in high regard.
In 2022-23, he had a very promising season, scoring 31 goals and collecting 68 points. This production notably earned him a long-term contract with the Sabres, with an annual salary of $7.1 million. However, things went south for Cozens after that. This season, he plays regularly with young forwards in the organization and has even been relegated to the second wave of the power play. He only had 13 points in 31 games.
In last week’s text, it was mentioned that it is imperative for the organization to properly handle a potential trade involving a talented youngster like Cozens. The Sabers simply cannot afford to repeat the mistakes made with Reinhart, Eichel, Montour, Ullmark, etc. If the team decides to exchange it, it will have to ensure that it obtains feedback allowing progress in the overall development of the training.
On the Predators side, to say that the season is a disappointment is an understatement. After being one of the most active teams on the trade market last summer, they find themselves tied for last in the Western Conference with 22 points. A quick analysis of their alignment highlights a notable weakness at the center position. Acquiring a player like Dylan Cozens to support Ryan O’Reilly would be essential for them.
Recently, they repositioned their newcomer, Steven Stamkos, to center, a position he had not held in many years. While this solution may be temporarily viable, it would be surprising if the 34-year-old forward could fill this role effectively in the long term. Speaking of Stamkos, he has struggled since arriving in Nashville. With only 8 goals and 16 points in 31 games, he is regularly used less than 17 minutes per game.
In his text, Marco D’Amico mentions that another source told him that the team not only wants to improve at center, but also on defense, where they would like to add an element capable of playing in the top 4. Despite some rumors suggesting that General Manager Barry Trotz regrets the acquisition of Stamkos and would consider sending him to another formation, this is indeed pure speculation without basis. The former Lightning captain signed a 4-year contract this summer earning him $8 million per season with the country city.
