Sabres Trade Dylan Cozens/Dennis Gilbert and 2026 2nd Round Pick to Ottawa for Josh Norris and Bernard Docker

[mjd1001]

2 minutes ago, BlowLeafsBlow123 said:

The headcase part of the Cozen conundrum is a huge piece, at least from my perspective. I always try to take note of the players that play well in (more) meaningful games against better teams. That was almost never Cozens. He seemed to feast when the team was feasting in high-scoring affairs or getting some secondary PP assists. His breakout year was a lot of him passing to Dahlin, then over to Thompson for a PP goal or Quinn/Peterka driving the 2nd line. He's hardly ever the primary play driver on big goals.

That is what I feel.

When you are on the PP, there is a bit more 'pressure' to score than on a regular shift in a way. He is one of the least productive scorers on the power play.

Game winning goals?  He has a fraction through is career what guys like Tuch and Thompson have.

With Cozens, the weakest part of his game was scoring when put in a situation where you are pressing for a goal, he almost disappeared.

1 minute ago, BlowLeafsBlow123 said:

I think Lindy likes Kulich's defensive game and letting the other two drive the offensive play.

If he is responsible Defensively and that line is still scoring, then of course stick with it.

[...]

4 minutes ago, Thorner said:

An interesting thing proposed by I think our good Brawndo was that Adams has been shopping Cozens since summer

so there’s a bit of a Rorschach test there - 

adams correctly foretold the cozens dip?

Adams putting DC on the block contributed to his lack of performance? 

It's more of a Schrödinger's cat thought experiment.

Edited Friday at 06:42 PM by ...
I'm seeing double on a Friday afternoon

[North Buffalo]

Miss Gilbert... local kid brings some size and toughness to back end... but may open up spot for a young D in the minors.. Cozens for Norris imo decent flip with both guys needing a change of scenery... now Adams go get something for Joker

Edited Friday at 06:43 PM by North Buffalo

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, ... said:

It's more of a Schrödinger's cat thought experiment.

Agree, functions as that as well in actuality 

I could see it going either way or staying mostly the same here, we won’t know until we see. Can make a case for either. But smart money here seems to me a more less even trade off - at least from the perspective of the moment 

Edited Friday at 06:45 PM by Thorner

[LGR4GM]

1 minute ago, North Buffalo said:

Miss Gilbert... local kid brings some size and toughness to back end... but may open up spot for a young D in the minors.. Cozens for Norris imo decent flip with both guys needing a change of scenery... now Adams go get something for Joker

Not with Bernard Docker coming back. 

[Stoner]

How many hundred NHL players are there? It's amazing to me people have a ready opinion about seemingly all of them.

I'll be humble and say it appears to be a trade of players in the same situation in their careers. Trying to prove a career year a few years ago wasn't a fluke.

Cozens did not make himself irreplaceable. I will trust that Lindy took a good look at him and determined he wasn't a guy who fits the plan.

Hoping for the best.

This is certainly not a move that shakes the needle. Probably more in the lockerroom than among the fans.

[BlowLeafsBlow123]

1 minute ago, ... said:

By this reckoning, and I think you're spot on, Ottawa got fleeced. Their sports psychologist better be damn good if they're going to not regret this trade.

I've been a huge Cozens-hater, similar to @mjd1001 on another board. But really enjoy the perspective over here.

The Sabres need an infusion of clutch players for this team and some hockey IQ. I'm not sure where Norris stands here but seems he knows how to find open ice for scoring chances at least. I still think we need to swap out another low IQ player for someone that plays a heady game. I think Kulich plays a smart game, which is good, but he's not quite ready to be a top 6 C full-time. Sometimes when you have Thompson, Tuch and Peterka on the ice all at once, the low IQ plays tend to compound and you end up with bad shot selection at the end of games (i.e. last night). Maybe Norris and someone else could help there, we'll see.

[darksabre]

4 minutes ago, Thorner said:

An interesting thing proposed by I think our good Brawndo was that Adams has been shopping Cozens since summer

so there’s a bit of a Rorschach test there - 

adams correctly foretold the cozens dip?

Adams putting DC on the block contributed to his lack of performance? 

I think good players want to play well all the time, regardless of any rumours they might be hearing about trades or whatever.

These guys are conditioned to tune it out, it's part of the job. Sports psychologists abound, as do veteran players with sage advice.

If Cozens was letting it affect his game in some way, then that's on him for being immature.

I don't put much stock in it any of it. I think he's just not the player we thought he was.

[North Buffalo]

Just now, LGR4GM said:

Not with Bernard Docker coming back. 

got it... 

[MDFan]

I get that there are injury concerns about Norris, but he has been the more productive player.  Additionally, I think the Sabres were lucky to get more than a bag of pucks for Cousins at this point given his precipitous decline in production since his big breakout and his continuing lack of heart night in and night out.  Maybe he becomes what he once looked like he could be but in the meantime, good riddance.  Time to move on from him.  

[Thorner]

1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:

Not with Bernard Docker coming back. 

Your father only obsessed over his work 

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

If that is what Cozens brings back... meh. Adams ability doesn't impress me much. 

What? No McDavid?

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, Stoner said:

How many hundred NHL players are there? It's amazing to me people have a ready opinion about seemingly all of them.

I'll be humble and say it appears to be a trade of players in the same situation in their careers. Trying to prove a career year a few years ago wasn't a fluke.

Cozens did not make himself irreplaceable. I will trust that Lindy took a good look at him and determined he wasn't a guy who fits the plan.

Hoping for the best.

This is certainly not a move that shakes the needle. Probably more in the lockerroom than among the fans.

Non needle mover is exactly where I’m at. I think it IS a needle mover among fans though - in that it’s a substantial discussion morsel. I’ve no doubt Adams understood the value of doing SOMETHING

3 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I think good players want to play well all the time, regardless of any rumours they might be hearing about trades or whatever.

These guys are conditioned to tune it out, it's part of the job. Sports psychologists abound, as do veteran players with sage advice.

If Cozens was letting it affect his game in some way, then that's on him for being immature.

I don't put much stock in it any of it. I think he's just not the player we thought he was.

We didn’t just randomly happen to draft a bunch of immature players. It’s the product of putting a bunch of young players together all at once. It’s the created environment 

Edited Friday at 06:48 PM by Thorner

[shrader]

3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Not with Bernard Docker coming back. 

I’d imagine Jokiharju winds up gone too. That one seems like it would be a pick deal or maybe some low prospect. So there could be that one spot available. B it then again, I have a hard time believing Gilbert was ever in the way of someone who might be ready this very second. 

[Stoner]

Norris speaks fluent:

___ Japanese

___ German

___ French

___ Spanish

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

What? No McDavid?

What? Strawman?

I'm content with the trade after some reflection. 

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, OverPowerYou said:

I’m always looking for reasons to hate Ottawa (as you can see by my picture). Sending dozens there does the trick 

Dozens of Cozens.

Just now, LGR4GM said:

What? Strawman?

I'm content with the trade after some reflection. 

I'm just pointing out how we hate everything.  We'd even hate a McDavid trade. I came here for some analysis of this trade. Joke's on me.

[mjd1001]

By nhl edge metrics, Norris is one of the fastest skaters in the league. Elite speed.

With McLeod and Norris being 2 of probably the fastest 20 skaters in the league, and Tage way out in front in terms of the hardest shots taken in a game....this Sabres team could probably do really well in a skills competition.

 

Edited Friday at 07:00 PM by mjd1001

[steveoath]

@DarthEbriate I’m just here to find out the changes in lore…… I’m just hoping Bernard-Docker isn’t a Gungan. 

[Thorner]

This trade should kill the “won’t trade in division” narrative for this or any GM really 

[...]

4 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 I came here looking to see how much work was done for me.

[darksabre]

Just now, mjd1001 said:

By nhl edge metrics, Norris is one of the fastest skaters in the league. Elite speed.

 

 

Definitely something this team needs more of. Remember Hinostroza amazing everyone just because he moved his feet? 

[MDFan]

28 minutes ago, Thorner said:

Losing cozens isn’t actually addition by subtraction. If you legitimately are asking this question, put yourself into the minds of those showing a lack of enthusiasm:

the GM who made the deal JUST SIGNED THE GUY he traded away, to a 7 year deal, either contributing to the player’s looming futility or drastically missing on his evaluation or both.

The same GM who created the “addition by subtraction” 50 million dollar monstrosity is supposed to be allowed to trade said player for their fix? At the very least benefit of the doubt may be excused in the interim 

- - - 

Adams should be fired, not making trades. We are of course still discussing the merits of the deal but that’s going to be a dark cloud of context irremovable from a balanced discussion 

While I am OK certainly with moving Cousins out at this point, and on the surface at least the deal seems reasonable, my preference would have been to tie Adams’ hands and hire competent management for the Sabres to accomplish the necessary rebuild of this abortion of a team.  

[bob_sauve28]

UND men's hockey players Jasper Weatherby and Jacob Bernard-Docker know they may stir emotions Wednesday afternoon before the No. 1-ranked Fighting Hawks open the 2020-21 season.

So, they want to get this out there: When the national anthem plays at Baxter Arena, Weatherby and Bernard-Docker will be kneeling to demonstrate against racial injustices and inequities that exist both in America and elsewhere around the world.

 

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/jasper-weatherby-and-jacob-bernard-docker-explain-why-they-will-kneel-for-the-national-anthem-at-unds-season-opener

[shrader]

1 minute ago, Thorner said:

This trade should kill the “won’t trade in division” narrative for this or any GM really 

The Rantanen thing though? That is going to be fun. Colorado is pretty happy where they are right now, but they have to be rolling their eyes at that potential first round matchup. 
 

Very fun for the media and fans though.