NHL rumors: Red Wings, Sabres were close to Dylan Cozens trade
01/10/2025 10:00 PM
The Detroit Red Wings have played well as of late under new head coach Todd McLellan. In fact, the Red Wings have reinserted themselves in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Before hiring a new coach, though, they apparently nearly made a move for highly coveted Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens.
The Red Wings and Sabres have scouted each other for a number of weeks. On Friday morning, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman revealed on his 32 Thoughts Podcast that Detroit, along with other teams, had an interest in Cozens. However, he mentioned that Detroit apparently came close to landing the in-demand right-shot center iceman.
“There’s definitely not a lot that gets out of Detroit, and there’s not very much that gets out of Buffalo, but finally, it got coughed up to me that they believe the Red Wings were looking at Cozens. And it fits, I think there’s a lot of people looking at Cozens. And I will say this, there was a time that a couple people said to me they thought it was close,” Friedman said on 32 Thoughts on Friday.
How Dylan Cozens fits with Red Wings
The Red Wings are on a six-game winning streak under McLellan. This has given the team some hope that they can compete for a Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. However, they certainly aren’t comfortable in their playoff contention. And this could lead to other changes.
Dylan Cozens is an interesting fit with the Red Wings. The former first-round pick is signed long-term, with his current contract ending in 2030. He carries a $7.1 million cap hit and has a modified no-trade clause in the final three seasons of this deal.
Cozens is a long-term fit, and Detroit is certainly interested in adding more than a rental. However, his offensive production has greatly declined. He scored 31 goals and 68 points two seasons ago. This year, though, the Sabres forward is on track for 17 goals and 41 points in 2024-25.
Still, the Red Wings could use a consistent second-line center. Detroit has tabbed a few players — from veteran J.T. Compher to rookie Marco Kasper — with the role. But they have not found a consistent answer behind franchise center Dylan Larkin.
A player such as Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram may be a more obvious fit for what Detroit needs. In saying this, a move for Cozens certainly makes sense for the Winged Wheel. Perhaps the two Atlantic Division rivals rekindle trade discussions as the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline draws near.
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