January 26, 2025 | 10:05am ET
TheFourthPeriod.com
SABRES REMAIN ACTIVE WITH TRADE CALLS
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Dylan Cozens, centre
The Buffalo Sabres continue to scour the trade market looking to shake up their roster and modify parts of their core.
Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has been active making and taking calls on a number of his players, with centre Dylan Cozens at the forefront of discussions.
Cozens, 23, is in the second season of a seven-year, $49.7 million contract, but he isn’t the only prime asset the Sabres have had discussions about. He currently ranks within the top-10 of TFP’s Trade Watch List.
Several teams are believed to have interest in defencemen Bowen Byram and Owen Power, and the Sabres are believed to be willing to entertain calls on both.
Byram, 23, is set to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. The 22-year-old Power is in the first year of a seven-year, $58.45 million deal.
The Vancouver Canucks are one of the teams the Sabres have been engaged in trade conversations with going back to last month. Adams has been trying to acquire star Elias Pettersson from the Canucks, and those discussions are reportedly back on, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
During the “Saturday Headlines” segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Friedman reported talks between the Canucks and Sabres are ongoing and centre around Pettersson.
“I believe that one of the teams that has really shown a lot of interest (in Pettersson) is Buffalo,” Friedman said. “There are others, but the Sabres are definitely in there.”
It has been reported that the Canucks want Cozens and Byram in a package for Pettersson, though the Canucks are also interested in Power.
The Detroit Red Wings are another team also interested in Cozens, while the Nashville Predators and Chicago Blackhawks have been in the market for a second-line centre, as well.