The Calgary Flames are still looking to improve down the middle of the ice.
Despite acquiring Morgan Frost in a multi-player deal with the Philadelphia Flyers last week, the Flames are still looking to add a centreman to their roster.
One name the Flames had been linked to this season was Buffalo Sabres centre Dylan Cozens. Despite last week’s trade, it appears as though their interest in the 23-year-old remains intact.
As per Pierre LeBrun on a recent segment of TSN’s Insider Trading, the Flames would still love to work out a trade with the Sabres that is focused around Cozens. Though GM Craig Conroy isn’t interested in mortgaging the future for rentals, he is open to making trades like the one we saw last week.
“The Flames have been enamoured with [Cozens] all year long,” Lebrun said.
LeBrun did go on to express hesitancy about whether a deal could be reached between the two sides, however. He stressed that the Sabres, who have gone 13 straight seasons without making the playoffs, aren’t interested in trading for futures such as picks and prospects.
“If [they] move Dylan Cozens, who’s signed to a long-term deal, I think it’s going to have to be apples for apples and not just a futures deal. Where there’s players coming Buffalo’s way that really helps [them] too,” LeBrun explained.
Though Frost gives the Flames a centre they’ve been in search of, he’s more of a middle-six player, whereas Cozens has first-line potential. He’s also a right-handed centre, which is very valuable to Calgary.
Cozens, who is in the second year of a seven-year contract with a cap hit of $7.1 million, has 10 goals and 26 points through 52 games this season. He struggled to produce in 2023-24 as well, but set career highs in 2022-23 31 goals and 68 points.
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