Following insider Kevin Weekes’ report about the Montreal Canadiens’ interest in Buffalo Sabres’ Dylan Cozens, RG.org’s Marco D’Amico revealed what it could cost to acquire the center.
Citing a source close to the Sabres, D’Amico writes that Buffalo could be looking for a comparable center, a top-four right-shot defenseman, or an elite NHL prospect ready to help now. Since multiple teams are interested in Cozens, the Canadiens must assemble the most attractive package to win the derby, unlike the Patrik Laine deal in which they were the only suitor left.
Could Kirby Dach, who has numbers comparable to Cozens’, be considered a starting point for the discussion? It all depends on how the Sabres see him and his odds of filling up his potential.
Related: Kirby Dach Benching Sends a Desperate Message
Logan Mailloux, a right-shot defenseman, could also be considered a possible asset to add to the mix. However, watching him play on Wednesday night, I’m not convinced his decision-making and comprehension of assignments on defense are good enough to make the jump to the NHL yet, and a Sabres scout was in attendance in Los Angeles.
The Canadiens also have plenty of futures to add to a package, but it’s hard to identify their worth yet. There’s no certainty as to how high their own first-round pick will be in June, and the same is true for the one they acquired in the Sean Monahan trade since the Calgary Flames are in the playoff mix.
D’Amico also writes that according to a Western Conference source, the Canadiens are interested in Cozens but wonder if they wouldn’t be better off showing off their defense since Ivan Demidov will boost their attack next season.
While this is not a bad idea, considering Mailloux doesn’t look ready yet and the fact David Reinbacher’s development was slowed down by a knee injury, given the way the second line has played this season, it looks like it will take more than the arrival of the Russian prospect to fix the Canadiens’ attack.
Related: Weekes Reports Hughes Has A Trade Target
Furthermore, it’s been said repeatedly that Kent Hughes wants to bring a perennial contender. If he doesn’t believe some pieces he acquired will be part of the team long-term, he will not hesitate to go back to the drawing board. It’s hard to know where the GM stands on Dach and Alex Newhook right now. While the former is coming back from a significant injury, it’s not the case for the latter, and he’s five points behind Dach.
Hughes still has time to assess what he has in those two players. Dach has a year left on his contract, and Newook has two, but if their development is not trending the right way, their value will only go down. Who said being a GM was an easy job?
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