Buffalo loses their eighth game in a row to New York on Thursday

The Buffalo Sabres are in freefall, losing their eighth game in a row and the fifth and final game of their homestand to the New York Rangers on Thursday. The Sabres have been rumored to be considering a trade to shake up their roster, but GM Kevyn Adams may be looking more for a deal exchanging a young asset for immediate help instead of moving out a member of the club’s core group.

On Sportsnet FAN 590’s afternoon show, hockey insider Elliotte Friedman indicated that several NHL clubs are “sniffing around” Sabres center Dylan Cozens. Cozens is in year two of a seven-year, $49.7 million contract ($7.1 million AAV), but the 23-year-old signed the deal in the middle of his career-high 31-goal season, and since his offensive numbers have declined significantly.

After an 18-goal 2023-24 campaign, Cozens has six goals in 29 games. Friedman said that despite his recent struggles, the Sabres should be very careful in considering a trade for a right-handed center.

Cozens does not have any no-trade protection until 2027, which would make a deal easier, but based on where the Sabres are currently situated, they have to be looking for a comparably-aged scoring forward in any deal. The type of trade that would make more sense from a Buffalo perspective would be to trade one of their top prospects or a future high draft pick for scoring help, but those deals will not start happening until after the Christmas break.

With the Sabres continuing to lose, time is running out on their chances of salvaging the 2024-25 season.

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