Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy made a sizeable splash on the NHL trade market already with his acquisition of Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost.
He may not be done.
There continue to be major challenges in checking off the top item on Conroy’s wish list, but reports continue to suggest the Flames are still making calls on right-handed centers like the Buffalo Sabres’ Dylan Cozens.
Cozens checks all the boxes on the Calgary Flames’ list. He turned 24 today, has that coveted right-handed stick, and is locked up contractually for another five years. His situation is similar to a number of current Calgary Flames who Conroy has added in the hopes they can reach their full potential with his franchise. Like Farabee and Frost, Cozens is having a disappointing season with the Sabres at the moment.
The problem is Cozens comes with a high price tag both in AAV and potential trade return, despite the dip in numbers. The Flames have plenty of draft capital with four first-round picks in the next two years, but they’re likely to be asked to part with a young roster player like Matt Coronato or Connor Zary in addition to a first-round pick. Maybe more.
Because the Sabres aren’t actively shopping Cozens — who is in the second season of a seven-year, $49.7-million deal — the price is far from discounted.
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Cozens is two years removed from a breakout 31-goal, 68-point season in 2022-23. He’s scored 28 goals in 131 games since and has 45 total points in that span.
It may be worth a first-round pick and a prospect that hasn’t yet graduated to the NHL for the Calgary Flames to see if they can bring the best out in Cozens again, but dealing away Coronato or Zary is pointless — as badly as the Flames want that right-handed pivot.
Given the way goaltender Dustin Wolf has propelled the Flames forward in their playoff push, there’s a lot of season left and the separation between wild card and bottom 10 isn’t that significant so the Flames will remain focused on their longer-term vision without getting overly concerned about the short-term goals.
At least that’s the hope.
