GASabresIUFAN

As to the OP, Cozens is a career 8% shooter. His contract year 30 goal season was the exception when he shot nearly 15%. We have to face the reality that he just isn’t that good. Truthfully many of the guys from that “great” 2019 Canadian draft class aren’t thriving in the NHL. Dach, Cozens, Byram, Krebs, and Newhook haven’t found success in the NHL as people expected. Later picks like Harley and McMichael are outperforming their higher rated peers. Too many Sabres on that list.

No idea and Adams doesn’t either. Any legit plan would begin by firing Adams and his merry band of failures including all the coaches. They have driven the franchise into the ground, mutilated the development of most of the young players. Enough! If we had a real GM the plan would start with fixing the defense. To turn this ship around we need to move on from one of Power or Byram. Neither can play defense at all and we don’t need two $8 mill D men who only play 50% of their position. That money would be better spent on two top 4 defensive D who can play with Dahlin and the either Power or Byram. They’d cover up the young D mistakes while allowing them some extra freedom to be offensive D. You re-sign JJP, Byram (if kept), and McLeod to bridge deals (3-4 years) as they all have issues in their games that need to develop. McLeod probably gets replaced my Helenius in a few years. Quinn gets a 1-2 year prove it deal or traded to add the necessary D. I’d also buyout Samuelsson to help finance the new defenseman. The next question is what to do with the goaltending? My answer for now is one more year of UPL and Levi as the backup with a new coach and a better D group. We don’t need superstar goaltending to reach the playoffs. We need average goaltending to go with our good offense. I think one of the issues for UPL is he thinks he has to stand on his head each night to keep the team in the game and he’s sadly correct. I think a better defense will bring out the better UPL. We know he has better play in him. While this plan uses with what’s here, the question is identifying and acquiring the right 2 defensemen to make this plan work. Given our 14 years at the bottom, our terrible management (which is likely to return), high taxes and lack of palm trees, getting FAs for those roles will be close to impossible. Sadly I also don’t trust Adams to find the right players or make the right trades even if he could identify the right players.

He has been paroled from hockey prison.

4-0. Sorry I missed it.

For what? He is completely useless in the defensive zone. He is often out of position, doesn’t clear the crease, and is a giveaway machine. This is his 3rd NHL season and he hasn’t improve at all defensively. In fact, I’d argue he is worse this year than last. Honestly, I doubt he’ll ever be even adequate defensively or will ever play to his contract cost.

I named him Howdy Doody.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6175461/2025/03/08/nhl-trade-deadline-2025-team-grades/ “Buffalo Sabres: B There’s now a clearer vision of what the Sabres could look like in 2025-26, and it’s a different vision than the one general manager Kevyn Adams had two seasons ago when he signed Dylan Cozens to a seven-year contract worth more than $7 million per year. Adams said earlier this season he was willing to listen to trade offers for core players, and he followed through with one of his boldest moves during his tenure. Adams wanted to make his roster better with player-for-player trades that could shake up the mix of a roster that has underachieved for two straight seasons. Whether he accomplished that remains to be seen. The Sabres added Josh Norris, who can be a prolific scorer when he’s healthy. This deadline is just the beginning, but it’s also the clearest sign yet that Adams is altering his plan and trying to change the identity of this team on the fly. — Matthew Fairburn”

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6183737/2025/03/07/nhl-trade-grades-senators-sabres-dylan-cozens/ “Corey Pronman: Dylan Cozens is an extremely talented player who has underperformed after signing his big extension. There are a lot of reasons to think the 2019 No. 7 pick will bounce back though.” “Josh Norris is a very good all-around center. He’s a strong skater who competes hard off the puck and has legit offensive skills. He’s shown he can be an effective two-way center when healthy, with very good puck hands, vision and finishing abilities.” “Senators grade: A- Sabres grade: C+” ”James Mirtle: The even bigger red flag for Norris has been his inability to drive offense at even strength. Over the past three seasons, Cozens is a respectable 97th in five-on-five points per 60 (1.97), putting him ahead of players like Nazem Kadri and Brock Boeser despite not always having great wingers to play with in Buffalo.“ “Norris, meanwhile, has managed only 1.31 points per 60 in that span, putting him 369th – basically in bottom-six territory – despite playing significant minutes with Ottawa’s top players.” “Senators grade: A Sabres grade: C-“

Video of trade call.

but a better skill set.

He hasn’t, but do you really trust him to make good deals for valuable assets like JJP or Byram? Also who was going to trade us a stay at home D or playmaker at the deadline?

That’s fair. He is back in the lineup and had a goal and assist against Chi on the 5th.

Wow a 4th. Shocking. Great value for a player who was a healthy scratch on the worst team in the East.

He is a career 8.2% shooter outside of his career year. That isn't going to change in Ottawa.

Yes, https://www.tsn.ca/tradecentre/trade-tracker

Pint of Boston Baked Beans or a 5th rd pick in 2031, the Sabres can pick either one.

Just about to post that same comment. I think he's a possible upgrade on Clague and Bryson.

Everyone here knows my dislike of Adams, but this has been an overall positive deadline. 1) I like that we re-signed both Greenway and Zucker. I thought Greenway would be about 3.5 and Zucker about 5 (or 8.5 total). Adams came in at 8.75. Zucker has been a great addition to this team and Greenway, when healthy, add elements of physical play and penalty killing that this team sorely lacks. Much better to keep these two players than adding two more useless 2nd rd picks. 2) The Big Move: Cozens, Gilbert and a 2nd for Norris and a D Bernard-Docker. Norris is the best player in this deal and Docker gives us a 24 year old former 1st rd pick who is trying to establish himself in the NHL and is an RFA. Norris in now the highest paid Sabres forward and has an long injury history. However, when healthy he is a very skilled goal scorer, he's excellent in the FO circle, and has recently returned to the lineup. At 53 games this season, if he plays the Sabres final 21 games, he'll play the most he's ever played in the NHL at 74 games 3) Kubel for Brannstrom. As I said previously, I like this deal. This 25 year old still has the potential to be an everyday depth NHLer and he'll be a major help to the Amerks playoff run. 4) Joki for ....... Has this happened? If it has, I don't care what the return is. He should have never been re-signed. Good luck Joki. Overall, I think Adams did pretty well. He kept two key vets, brought in a talented center, helped Rochester this season and maybe Buffalo next and moved some dead weight off the roster. He didn't need to move any of the RFAs or Power and has another shot at fixing the D and finding a playmaker in the off-season. My grade is a B-, as I didn't like the 2nd moved in the Cozens deal.

He's getting bought out this summer to help pay for Byram's new long-term overpaid deal.

We should hope it got done.

I really like this move. Erik was a 1st rd pick and is a talented guy who for whatever reason it hasn't quite come together in the NHL. He's only 25. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he competes for a depth role in Buffalo next year. I think he is an upgrade on Clague and will help the Amerks.

Once he re-sign led Greenway and Zucker, he had no urgency to move anyone else as all the rest have no value or are under contract/control. Power, JJP, Quinn, Malone, and Byram can still be traded, kept or the RFAs re-signed in the off-season when more teams have cap space. Joker still here because he has no trade value

It’s seems like a pretty quiet trade deadline so far. Many bigger deals between the prior 4 nations and now, but much fewer depth players. I guess paying a first for Laughton may show the prices for players , even depth players is way to high to get deals done.

All our D are atrocious when they don’t play with Dahlin. Surprised Joki is still here. 17 minutes

Is Joki next to go?