Kevyn Adams: Sabres will build around young core of Dahlin, Cozens, Mittelstadt

Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has provided some insight into what his club will look like in the future.

"I think it’s building. I think that’s the right way to say it. We have a lot of young players that are talented," Adams said to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

"Sometimes, when players come into the league at a really young age, some people feel like maybe they’re older than they are. But guys like (Rasmus) Dahlin, (Dylan) Cozens, (Casey) Mittelstadt, these are very, very young players. So, we want to build.

"And I’ve been energized about this young core of Sabres we have that are hungry, and they want to be part of the solution. … These guys are proud to be Buffalo Sabres, they want to fix this and get this right, they want to move forward together. So that’s the young core that we’re working to build around."

Adams didn't mention captain Jack Eichel as part of the young core amid reported trade talks surrounding the star. In May, Eichel told reporters there was a "disconnect" between him and the franchise following a disagreement over how to treat his neck injury.

The 24-year-old has five years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $10 million. Buffalo selected him with the second overall pick in the 2015 draft.

The Sabres have had several lottery picks since picking Eichel. The club grabbed Mittelstadt with the eighth pick in 2017, Dahlin first overall in 2018, and Cozens at No. 7 in 2019. All three are under the age of 22 and played extremely well under new head coach Don Granato last season.

With a plethora of youthful talent, Adams has made it clear that his goal is to surround the budding trio with players that can help turn Buffalo back into a contender.

"We need to do a lot of building, we need to surround those young players with the right people, the right culture every day, with players who truly love being a Buffalo Sabre and want to get this right," Adams said.

Once again, the Sabres have the first overall pick in the upcoming draft and will add another fresh player to the mix. The team also selected Jack Quinn with the eighth pick in last year's draft, but he has yet to make his NHL debut.