Cozens Contract Extension Announced, 7 years 7.1 Million AAV

[Crusader1969]

The reward question is how the Toronto media is handling the announcement.  
guessing they won’t be as critical as they were after being made to look like morons for bashing the Thompson deal  

[thewookie1]

5 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

Yea, I guess I'm wrong here and that's cool. Nobody wants that to be the case more than me.

While I disagree with your take; I think your first post came off as being contrarian for the sake of it and thus created this whole issue.

[nfreeman]

Also, I think Cozens is in the top 25% or so of 2Cs in the NHL when age and trajectory are factored in.

[Zamboni]

Nice job KA

very fair for both sides

[Buffalonill]

1 hour ago, BullBuchanan said:

I'm really shocked everyone thinks this is a great deal. Why? The first thing I thought was that is was a gross overpayment by over double. I've always seen him as a Girgensons replacement and a 3rd liner. Now he's making Tage Thompson money. Are we really saying he's an elite 2nd line center now?

Horvat at 8.5 seems like a much better deal.

Hey there's only room for one negative  person here .

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Buffalonill

[LGR4GM]

 

[MattPie]

13 minutes ago, Crusader1969 said:

The reward question is how the Toronto media is handling the announcement.  
guessing they won’t be as critical as they were after being made to look like morons for bashing the Thompson deal  

I'm sure Toronto will be salivating that in 4 years Cozens will force a trade to the Leafs because everyone wants to play there.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

It’s funny that the *one guy* they missed this trend on is the guy who’s going to get the most - I’ve mentioned a few times now that it hardly matters considering the other value deals, it’s just such an interesting discussion point to me because they are doing it with everyone but their best player.

Was it because Adams wasn’t fully in control yet when he bridged Dahlin? Or he hadn’t built up a confidence in him yet? Or was it Dahlin betting on himself?

Yes, yes and yes.  KA wasn't yet comfortable in the chair, Dahlin's growth had been arrested by RK and Dahlin had confidence in himself.  The truth is that Dahlin is our best player and should be our highest paid.  

I have to give KA credit. He learned a great deal from that first miserable season and has built a real positive organization that is in sync from player to senior management. 

I have a glimmer of hope that he can getting Dahlin signed to a "reasonable" contract that will leave some money on the table to help retain other players. 

While this is great news, the defense and goaltending still need to be better for this rebuild to ultimately work. 3.4 goals against per game is terrible. 

Edited February 7, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[LGR4GM]

Just now, MattPie said:

I'm sure Toronto will be salivating that in 4 years Cozens will force a trade to the Leafs because everyone wants to play there.

"Cozens is a Canada lad and there's no doubt in our minds he would love to play for Leafs being from Canada and all" - Some Toronto person in the near future. 

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, IKnowPhysics said:

We should be ecstatic if Dahlin's contract stays in the nines.

It's not going to.

[GASabresIUFAN]

4 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

"Cozens is a Canada lad and there's no doubt in our minds he would love to play for Leafs being from Canada and all" - Some Toronto person in the near future. 

Just a guess, but the 5 team NTC likely includes the Leafs. No self respecting player committed to the Sabres would ever want to be a Leaf, especially if they are from Western Canada.

Edited February 7, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[Thorner]

39 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

This is a misuse of the term "career year" IMHO.  It's Cozens' 2nd full season!  He had 38 pts in 79 games in his 1st full season, on a really crappy team with a bottom-10 offense, and is now at a 75+-point pace with 2 rookies as linemates. 

He's also a heart-and-soul guy who burns to win, stands up for his teammates, has great speed and is showing more and more offensive skills.  And he took less than he could've gotten to commit long-term, right now, and focus on helping muscle this young team into the playoffs.

He's buy-his-jersey worthy, IMHO.

Winter is coming.

 

Good post.  As to the bolded, I think Cozens was 100% on board with making less than TT, and for the same reason you mention.

 

But TT signed his deal at age 24, and Rasmus will be 23 this summer -- isn't that more or less the same distance to UFA?

Either way, I think you're right about the culture point being proven even more strongly if Rasmus signs in the nines.

NB that only 2 defensemen are making more than $9.5MM (Karlsson and Doughty), 4 making $9.5MM and 4 more making between $9MM and $9.25MM.  So if Rasmus gets $9.6MM, he'll be the 3rd-highest paid defenseman in the NHL.

For me it’s more about the point at which the deal is signed re: experience, and how that player’s talent and aptitude has revealed itself so far: how sizeable the “bet” is. We already know Tage sorta came out of nowhere, the distance to ufa thing is more a technicality - Dahlin already took his “prove it” bridge, and proved it. We KNOW Dahlin is a Norris level guy when signing, Tage wasn’t close to that level in negotiations 

If players signed “security” deals after “proving it” there would be no existence of the “prove it” bridge. 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Thorny

[Thorner]

45 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

This is a misuse of the term "career year" IMHO.  It's Cozens' 2nd full season!  He had 38 pts in 79 games in his 1st full season, on a really crappy team with a bottom-10 offense, and is now at a 75+-point pace with 2 rookies as linemates. 

He's also a heart-and-soul guy who burns to win, stands up for his teammates, has great speed and is showing more and more offensive skills.  And he took less than he could've gotten to commit long-term, right now, and focus on helping muscle this young team into the playoffs.

He's buy-his-jersey worthy, IMHO.

Winter is coming.

 

Good post.  As to the bolded, I think Cozens was 100% on board with making less than TT, and for the same reason you mention.

 

But TT signed his deal at age 24, and Rasmus will be 23 this summer -- isn't that more or less the same distance to UFA?

Either way, I think you're right about the culture point being proven even more strongly if Rasmus signs in the nines.

NB that only 2 defensemen are making more than $9.5MM (Karlsson and Doughty), 4 making $9.5MM and 4 more making between $9MM and $9.25MM.  So if Rasmus gets $9.6MM, he'll be the 3rd-highest paid defenseman in the NHL.

So which is it? Is he accurately paid at 9.6 or is it a point for proven culture? I want to see you take a side so you can’t just argue the opposite or what I say all the time 😉

And don’t just say “the culture improved to the point where reasonable, fair deals can be signed”. That’s fine but it’s just base level competence. I more want to dial in on if you think Dahlin is underpaid at 9.6 or if that’s termed a fair deal. Because you are posting comps for why it fits but also saying it’ll look great on the GM. It can look “good” for both but if it’s under the umbrella of “fair deal” in your opinion I don’t count that as a steal indicative of great GM aptitude 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Thorny

[Flashsabre]

You guys have no idea how many kids from Whitehorse grow up dreaming of playing in Toronto😛

Adams, Karmanos, Ventura and crew really believe in betting on their guys and signing them to big deals early that are risks but have the potential to be homeruns. We are getting Tage and Cozens best years of their careers for a combined $14.3 million a year. 

Really interested to see where Dahlin’s deal comes in at.

[LGR4GM]

 

[PerreaultForever]

9 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

"Cozens is a Canada lad and there's no doubt in our minds he would love to play for Leafs being from Canada and all" - Some Toronto person in the near future. 

lol, oh sure, cause everybody knows the only team in the Yukon is the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Amusingly, if you look at his jerseys from his youth in this article, well..................it's destiny right?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/dylan-cozens-nhl-draft-1.5149039

Good deal for both sides

[GASabresIUFAN]

@BullBuchanan

Just curious what did you think Cozens' deal was going to come in at?  

KA has been re-signing his young core to long-term extensions.  What did you think this was going to cost for a 2nd line center scoring nearly a pt per game?

 

[Getpucksdeep]

36 minutes ago, BullBuchanan said:

Yea, I guess I'm wrong here and that's cool. Nobody wants that to be the case more than me.

Cozens is my favorite so I'm pumped, but also appreciate the counter-view.

[Thorner]

45 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Have said before, pretty sure it was simply a function of the contract being due during the covid era.  And with all the uncertainty that brought, the 2 sides couldn't find a LT deal that made sense to both sides.

And, you're right, it will cost them money in the LT but because they have several other reasonable to both sides deals they'll be able to afford his bankbreaking deal.

COVID could be the biggest factor, certainly. 

[LGR4GM]

15 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Just a guess, but the 5 team NTC likely includes the Leafs. No self respecting player committed to the Sabres would ever want to be a Leaf, especially if they are from Western Canada.

I mean that's part of the gag though. 

Edited February 7, 2023 by LGR4GM

[Doohicksie]

2 hours ago, BullBuchanan said:

70-80 points!? He's at a career high with 43...What are you basing this on?

He's only 21.

[Thorner]

21 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Yes, yes and yes.  KA wasn't yet comfortable in the chair, Dahlin's growth had been arrested by RK and Dahlin had confidence in himself.  The truth is that Dahlin is our best player and should be our highest paid.  

I have to give KA credit. He learned a great deal from that first miserable season and has built a real positive organization that is in sync from player to senior management. 

I have a glimmer of hope that he can getting Dahlin signed to a "reasonable" contract that will leave some money on the table to help retain other players. 

While this is great news, the defense and goaltending still need to be better for this rebuild to ultimately work. 3.4 goals against is terrible. 

That’s a good point, learning from the failings of year 1. Reminds me of something Yoda says in the best Star Wars movie, the last Jedi. 

What do you have Dahlin coming in at? 

[matter2003]

5 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

@BullBuchanan

Just curious what did you think Cozens' deal was going to come in at?  

KA has been re-signing his young core to long-term extensions.  What did you think this was going to cost for a 2nd line center scoring nearly a pt per game?

 

He said $3-4 million a year which is laughable.

 

Edited February 7, 2023 by matter2003

[GASabresIUFAN]

Just now, Thorny said:

That’s a good point, learning from the failings of year 1. Reminds me of something Yoda says in the best Star Wars movie, the last Jedi. 

What do you have Dahlin coming in at? 

10 for 10

[Eleven]

Dahlin will be 11M+.  Bet on it.