[Rumour] LeBrun: Flames remain interested in Cozens despite trading for Frost

[Buzzard]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

WTH was Cozens thinking there...lol. Hathaway is a scary dude when he is in beast mode. The stare alone could KO most people.

Not to mention the potential risk of being gobbed on.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Sabres fans all seem to think it was this fight with Hathaway that somehow broke Cozens and he's been passive and ineffective ever since being ragdolled a bit here.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/s...oss-to-flyers/

And they might be on to something...he had 7 points in the first 11 games that season which wasnt that bad but has been considerably worse since.

Pre-fight: 75 points in 95 games, 0.79 p/gp, 50.1% xGF at 5v5, 1.24 relative, 9.91% on ice shooting
Post-fight: 66 points in 121 games, 0.55 p/gp, 48.3% xGF at 5v5, -0.07 relative, 8.44% on ice shooting

I heard this too. In the media scrum in the locker room after the game, he looked like a deer in the headlights IIRC.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Ped

FWIW, the Athletic's most recent player poll for the number 1 team on their NTC:


Winnipeg - 48.78%
Buffalo - 19.51%
San Jose - 8.54%
Calgary - 3.66%
Ottawa - 3.66%
Anaheim - 2.44%
NYR - 2.44%

Number 1 doesn't mean much when u have 12 teams?

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Andrew

Number 1 doesn't mean much when u have 12 teams?

Exactly, I'd like to see who players put as #2, #3 etc.

Simply counting first place votes tells us just one thing.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Why should they though? They are not shopping him, they have made it known they will listen to offers. There is no pressure there to move Cozens.

They need to fix their team. And they only have so many trade chips - they've clearly singled him out as one of the people they are willing to move in order to make changes. And now that the talk is out there, it's pretty much inevitable. They are long past the 'we don't need to move him' stage.

Yes, they have been waiting for offers to improve, but the offers aren't improving. They either accept it and get something done, or they go back to square one. And there is too much pressure on the team to do something, they can't just go back to the status quo.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

They need to fix their team. And they only have so many trade chips - they've clearly singled him out as one of the people they are willing to move in order to make changes. And now that the talk is out there, it's pretty much inevitable. They are long past the 'we don't need to move him' stage.

Yes, they have been waiting for offers to improve, but the offers aren't improving. They either accept it and get something done, or they go back to square one. And there is too much pressure on the team to do something, they can't just go back to the status quo.

Sure but they don’t need to trade him now if they don’t like the offers. Rumours are they don’t want a futures trade. I can understand that. They are on track for another top 5 pick this year. This season is a wash. They can wait till draft or summer to see if they can get a “hockey trade “ done.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I heard this too. In the media scrum in the locker room after the game, he looked like a deer in the headlights IIRC.

so how do you get him past that a year and half later?

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

so how do you get him past that a year and half later?

Sometimes a change of scenery works. Fresh environment, fresh teammates a change in scenery can work. Give the psyche a a chance reboot.

[bdubbs]

Also, why is Dylan Cozens fighting a 4th liner like Hathaway? Culture has been rotten in Buffalo for a long, long time.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

Being an alternate captain, the Flames also have to consider the possibility that Cozens is a large contributor to the losing culture in Buffalo. A poor leader on a directionless team whose development peaked several years ago. He is not and will never be a 1C, and at this point, Zary shows more potential (from a progression standpoint) than Cozens does.

Perhaps he is a large contributor but he has only been there for 5 years now. What about the 9-13 years before he made the team? This is his first year as alternate captain so what about those captains before him?

The losing culture has been ingrained in that franchise for many years and it doesn't seem the owner has done much to fix that. I wouldn't put much, if any, weight on Cozens building a losing culture.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Sure but they don’t need to trade him now if they don’t like the offers. Rumours are they don’t want a futures trade. I can understand that. They are on track for another top 5 pick this year. This season is a wash. They can wait till draft or summer to see if they can get a “hockey trade “ done.

True. But the problem is that they have already opened the door. The offers are not going to get better from here, they are going to get worse. They have talked their advantage away.

I am not saying they have to make the trade now. I am saying they have given away the high ground in negotiations for Cozens. Whenever he gets traded - and he will get traded - it will be at a discount, it will not be at a price that is fully reflective of his potential. That ship has sailed.

[Royle9]

Buffalo's issues continue to implode.

• Rebuild didn't work, trying to pivot but have guys like Cozens signed to big money and not performing up to snuff and now they need the cap space to make further moves
• Constant fear that anyone traded will flourish elsewhere because history has dictated it.
• Coach who's been groomed to be the next GM and seems to have lost the room.
• A GM given way too long of a leash, hasn't made any progress in years despite drafting high
• They've been playing hardball but teams know this, and they are going to continue to lose leverage.

Adam's is all but gone at this point.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

True. But the problem is that they have already opened the door. The offers are not going to get better from here, they are going to get worse. They have talked their advantage away.

I am not saying they have to make the trade now. I am saying they have given away the high ground in negotiations for Cozens. Whenever he gets traded - and he will get traded - it will be at a discount, it will not be at a price that is fully reflective of his potential. That ship has sailed.

Unless he bounces back a bit.

Because now one bad season, has become 2 bad seasons.

And if they hold him through the summer, and he has a slow start next season and it becomes 3 bad seasons...then you're looking him having almost no value with him being 24 turning 25 and a 45 point forward making $7M.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Buffalo's issues continue to implode.

• Rebuild didn't work, trying to pivot but have guys like Cozens signed to big money and not performing up to snuff and now they need the cap space to make further moves
• Constant fear that anyone traded will flourish elsewhere because history has dictated it.
• Coach who's been groomed to be the next GM and seems to have lost the room.
• A GM given way too long of a leash, hasn't made any progress in years despite drafting high
• They've been playing hardball but teams know this, and they are going to continue to lose leverage.

Adam's is all but gone at this point.

I bet Craig is thanking his lucky stars that he didn't get that job after all.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Buffalo's issues continue to implode.

• Rebuild didn't work, trying to pivot but have guys like Cozens signed to big money and not performing up to snuff and now they need the cap space to make further moves
• Constant fear that anyone traded will flourish elsewhere because history has dictated it.
• Coach who's been groomed to be the next GM and seems to have lost the room.
• A GM given way too long of a leash, hasn't made any progress in years despite drafting high
• They've been playing hardball but teams know this, and they are going to continue to lose leverage.

Adam's is all but gone at this point.

I actually think Adam's has made some savvy moves recently in the right direction.
Zucker, Mcleod, Greenway and Byram were all great moves and steps in the right direction.

They need a stabilizer on their D core bad. A Tanev/Ekholm type guy.
They need a solid 1B to split starts 50/50 with him. They're leaning on UPL way to much.
In general they're just too young. They need to add some vet pros into the bottom half of the roster.

It also seems like, for all their rebuilding, they don't have any true gamebreaking talent to make up for the lack of depth. Dahlin is a legit #1 but he doesn't impact the game like Q Hughes or Makar can.
Thompson is legit, but he's not Jack Hughes.
The Sabres are missing Eichel type guy big time.

I actually think the Devils are a good juxtaposition for the Sabres. Rebuilt in a similar time frame. But they got the elite talent. They've filled the rest of the roster with steadier vets.

[Icon]

^ Buffalo's problem is probably mostly that the team is situated in Buffalo.

[IamNotKenKing]

Originally Posted by traptor

I actually think Adam's has made some savvy moves recently in the right direction.
Zucker, Mcleod, Greenway and Byram were all great moves and steps in the right direction.

They need a stabilizer on their D core bad. A Tanev/Ekholm type guy.
They need a solid 1B to split starts 50/50 with him. They're leaning on UPL way to much.
In general they're just too young. They need to add some vet pros into the bottom half of the roster.

It also seems like, for all their rebuilding, they don't have any true gamebreaking talent to make up for the lack of depth. Dahlin is a legit #1 but he doesn't impact the game like Q Hughes or Makar can.
Thompson is legit, but he's not Jack Hughes.
The Sabres are missing Eichel type guy big time.

I actually think the Devils are a good juxtaposition for the Sabres. Rebuilt in a similar time frame. But they got the elite talent. They've filled the rest of the roster with steadier vets.

"Adam's" precedes something someone named Adam possesses.
Such as Adam's car.

"Adams" is the last name of the guy who is the GM of the Buffalo Sabres.

If you wished to talk about something the GM of the Buffalo Sabres possesses (for now), it would be Adams' job.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Buffalo's issues continue to implode.

• Rebuild didn't work, trying to pivot but have guys like Cozens signed to big money and not performing up to snuff and now they need the cap space to make further moves
• Constant fear that anyone traded will flourish elsewhere because history has dictated it.
• Coach who's been groomed to be the next GM and seems to have lost the room.
• A GM given way too long of a leash, hasn't made any progress in years despite drafting high
• They've been playing hardball but teams know this, and they are going to continue to lose leverage.

Adam's is all but gone at this point.

Gotta think if they still had Eichel, Reinhardt and hit better and kept some other top picks It would be a different story. They don't have any of their top 1st rounders from 2013-2017. Terrible way to rebuild.

2013 8th OA (traded)
2014 2nd OA (traded)
2015 2nd OA (traded)
2016 8th OA (bust)
2017 8th OA (traded)

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by IamNotKenKing

"Adam's" precedes something someone named Adam possesses.
Such as Adam's car.

"Adams" is the last name of the guy who is the GM of the Buffalo Sabres.

If you wished to talk about something the GM of the Buffalo Sabres possesses (for now), it would be Adams' job.

The usage of grammar in a correct manner is sorely underrated.
Clarity is a rarity.

[saillias]

The narrative that leaving Buffalo is like a +10 to performance is cherrypicking & lacks context. No one seems to bring up Ristolainen or Mittelstadt, it's always Reinhart & Eichel. You have to differentiate between being brought down by Buffalo, or a guy bringing Buffalo down. For Sabres mgmt to be gunshy about this, wow they are truly lost. If you are scared of moves out of fear like this, yes you should be fired.