Report: Leafs, Canadiens, Red Wings express interest in Cozens
The Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and Detroit Red Wings have joined the Calgary Flames on the list of teams expressing interest in Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens, sources told NHL Network's Kevin Weekes.
Cozens has totaled 10 goals and 26 points in 53 outings this campaign while averaging a career-high 17:24 minutes of ice time and winning 50.4% of his faceoffs.
He's under contract for five more years after this one with an average annual value of $7.1 million. Cozens carries the second-highest cap hit among Sabres forwards this season, trailing only Tage Thompson's $7.14-million price tag.
Cozens signed the pact as a pending restricted free agent in the midst of his breakout 2022-23 campaign. The Whitehorse, Yukon, native totaled 31 goals and 68 points in 81 games that season but failed to replicate that success last year, managing 18 tallies and 29 assists in 79 matchups.
Calgary's interest in Cozens was reported in January, while the Maple Leafs are apparently on the hunt for a center with term. Cozens, 23, also fits within the age range of the younger talent on the Red Wings and Canadiens.
The Canucks reportedly spoke to the Sabres about Cozens, but it isn't clear if Vancouver is still interested in the wake of the J.T. Miller trade.
Cozens missed Wednesday's practice with what head coach Lindy Ruff called a "lower-body aggravation," per NHL.com's Jourdon LaBarber.
Buffalo selected him with the seventh overall pick at the 2019 NHL Draft. Cozens has amassed 76 goals and 192 points in 333 career games.
The Sabres entered Wednesday's slate in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 22-26-5 record.