Dylan Cozens is of interest to the Canadiens (according to Kevin Weekes)

Given Kirby Dach’s performance since the start of the season, it is natural to wonder if he really has what it takes to be the 2nd center for the Canadiens in the coming years.

Dach has not been consistent in his performances… And if the Canadiens want to compete with the best teams in the NHL, they need a quality 2nd center who can play a consistent role in the team’s success.

We don’t see that from #77 at the moment.

We know that Kent Hughes is interested in making a trade for Dach/Newhook/Laine to improve his team, and recent information from Kevin Weekes supports this.

The informant tweeted that the Canadiens are in the running for the Dylan Cozens derby in Buffalo:

In speaking to sources, I’m told there’s been plenty of expressions of interest from clubs in @BuffaloSabres F Cozens including; @CanadiensMTL @NHLFlames @MapleLeafs @DetroitRedWings. #SabreHood #HockeyX pic.twitter.com/EJGtKI36f6

— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) February 5, 2025

Cozens is known as a two-way center at 6’3 and 207 pounds.

He shoots right and is good in all three zones of the ice.

He collected 68 points in his third season in the NHL and has slowed down since then. He seems to need a change of scenery… And in Buffalo, nothing is working at the moment: the Sabres are sitting at 29th place in the NHL standings and are struggling to win regularly.

It’s always the same story for the Sabres, after all.

Obviously, to acquire a 23-year-old young center who has already proven himself, Kent Hughes will need to offer an enticing return to the Sabres.

But there are not necessarily issues at that level because the Canadiens have prospects that can be traded… And the team’s pool of picks is well-stocked for the coming years.

The Canadiens have four first-round picks, five second-round picks, and five other third-round picks for the next three drafts:

Lastly, it’s worth noting that Cozens earns a salary of $7.1 million annually and his contract runs until the summer of 2030.

This would represent a certain risk for Kent Hughes… But we have seen that Cozens is capable of being a good player in the NHL.

Surrounded as he would be in Montreal on the top-6, it could become quite interesting…

Extension

In his tweet, Kevin Weekes also mentions that the Leafs, Flames, and Wings are in the running for Cozens’ services.

Who will come out on top? And can we expect to see a trade involving Cozens happen in the coming weeks, before the trade deadline (March 7) in the NHL?

To be continued…