by It’s no secret that general manager Barry Despite and the Nashville Predators have been looking for ways to add depth at center, and they’ve reportedly expressed interest in an intriguing young center who recently hit the trade market.
NHL writer Marco D’Amico reported Monday morning that a league source confirmed Nashville’s interest in Buffalo Sabers forward Dylan Cozens. Cozens is a natural center and played most of the season on right wing for the underperforming Sabres. He has 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists) in 31 games and is two years removed from a 31-goal season in 2022-23.
According to Despite, at 23 years old, Cozens is just the right fit for a Predators team that is always looking to get younger. Cozens, a former first-round pick (No. 7 overall) in 2019, comes at a high price; He signed a seven-year, $49.7 million ($7.1 million AAV) contract in 2023 that expires at the end of the 2029-30 season.
According to PuckPedia, the Predators currently have $7.39 million in cap space, but that includes the $4 million owed to Ryan Johansen, who filed a grievance after his contract was terminated by the Philadelphia Flyers before the start of the season. Even if they had the cap space, the Predators would have to be willing to move roster players to acquire Cozens.
Nashville’s options are limited because the majority of its star players and top earners have release clauses. The Predators could – and probably will – try to acquire Cozens, who has largely underperformed since signing his contract extension, at a bargain price, but Sabers GM Kevyn Adams will certainly make a tough bargain.
The NHL’s holiday roster freeze begins at midnight on December 20th and runs through December 27th, so it will be an interesting situation to monitor in the coming days.
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