Perhaps nobody took a bigger gamble on Friday than the Ottawa Senators, who got in on the action in an intra-divisional trade with their heated rival, the Buffalo Sabres. While the Senators sent forward Josh Norris and defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker to the City of Good Neighbors, the Sens brought Dylan Cozens to town.
Defenseman Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-pick were the other assets, but the ‘prize’ in this trade’s one that I’m not sold on just yet. The Sabres improved by acquiring Norris, even if he’s a bit of a risk, too. But Cozens couldn’t score in Buffalo and he wasn’t the greatest in winning the faceoff battle, something Norris has done a good job at.
I can see why a team like the Senators would want Cozens, given his imposing physique, hard-hitting style, and the fact he looked like a breakout player a couple of seasons back. If you didn’t already know, Cozens made a living finding the net in 2022-23, scoring 31 goals and 68 points. But he hasn’t done much since.
Ottawa Senators must hope Dylan Cozens returns to his old ways
Since that magical 2022-23 season, Cozens has played in 140 games and scored just 29 goals while accumulating 78 points. Yeah, these are low numbers, and it gets even worse when you factor in what he’s done in the faceoff circle, winning 47.7 percent of his draws and 975 total.
For the upside, Cozens has 256 hits in that span, and for a contending team like the Senators, it’s much-needed. If Cozens can just find a way to transform back into that high-octane player he was in 2022-23, then the Sens hit a home run with this deal. But if he keeps playing like someone destined for the bottom six, they may regret this.
Still, the Senators have quite a few scorers already, with names like Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk leading the way. Norris was tied with Stutzle for second on the team in goals scored with 20 at the time of the trade, so again, this one’s a gamble.
Dennis Gilbert is exactly what a team needs for ‘playoff hockey’
While I’m iffy on the Cozens deal, Dennis Gilbert is one of those ‘keep your head down and go to work’ kind of players. No, he’s not flashy, but if a team needs a glue player, he’s someone you want in your group when tensions rise and a sense of urgency reaches its apex.
Gilbert has only seen the ice in 25 contests so far with Buffalo and has yet to score a goal. He’s logged five assists, so he provides little, if any value on the productivity front. That said, Gilbert also has 52 hits this season and he’s racked up 50 penalty minutes.
While star players like Brady Tkachuk can handle themselves, having someone like Gilbert to provide some reinforcement is what the Senators can use between now and mid-April as they battle for a playoff spot. That said, I liked seeing the Sens acquire Gilbert, but as for moving Norris for Cozens, the jury will be out for a while.