March 7, 2025, had arrived and it was time for NHL teams to make one last push to make their team stronger ahead of the 2025 playoffs, or to be sellers and build toward the future.
For the Ottawa Senators, they completed just a trade involving the Buffalo Sabres. The Senators traded away forward Josh Norris and defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker in exchange for forward Dylan Cozens, defenseman Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round draft pick.
Some might have seen Norris and Bernard-Docker after Norris not only had his name mentioned in rumors back in November, but also his contract and health concerns. Bernard-Docker was also in rumors over a week ago involving the Nashville Predators. Now it's time to grade the trade.
Senators grade Cozens trade: B-
When taking into consideration the players the Senators received and traded away, a grade of a B- is worthy.
Trading Norris may come as heartbreaking for some, but Norris has had issues since his extension in 2022 with staying healthy and underperforming. Norris has missed a combined 114 games since the 2022-23 season.
Not only with health issues, Norris' play has seen a downfall. After his 55-point season in the 2021-22 season, Norris' offensive production has dropped. After last season's 30-point season, Norris has 33 points in 53 games with the Senators this season, and but was tied for the second most goals on the team with 20. But, for a player making $7.95 million per year until 2030, Norris needs to be better offensively and remaining healthy for a 25-year-old player.
Now, Cozens does have a $7.1 million cap hit at 24 years old until 2030, ironically the same year as Norris' contract runs out. But, the Senators will save over $800,000 with not having Norris' contract anymore.
In the 2022-23 season, Cozens showed his potential by recording a 68-point season, but he's struggled since. Cozens recorded 48 points last season and has 31 points this season. Despite playing less games than Cozens, Norris had two more points than Cozens. Despite less points, Cozens brings more physicality as he has 148 hits this season, which is only behind Brady Tkachuk on the Senators.
Bernard-Docker being traded might not be seen as a shock. Since being drafted 26th overall in 2018, Bernard-Docker has struggled to get full-time play. Bernard-Docker played a career 129 games with the Senators and recorded 20 points at 24 years old.
Last season, Bernard-Docker played in 74 games, but has played in 25 games this season. Bernard-Docker would be mainly inserted in the lineup when the Senators' defensemen were battling injuries.
For Gilbert, he's only played in 107 career NHL games at 28 years old. Gilbert's contract will run out after this season. When looking at it, the defensemen in this trade can be a short swap, except Bernard-Docker is a restricted free agent. Gilbert has only played in 25 games for the Sabres this season and has recorded five assists.
A big thing the Senators gained in the trade was the Sabres' 2026 second-round draft pick. The pick can turn into a solid draft pick if the Sabres struggle again next year. However, the Senators could use the draft pick down the road to use it in a trade to acquire a solid player, or even use it to trade up in this draft or next year's draft.
The Senators will now move forward without Norris and Bernard-Docker. Both Norris and Bernard-Docker spent their entire tenure in Ottawa, but it's now over.