The Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators have hooked up for a blockbuster NHL trade deadline deal. Both teams are looking to break long playoff droughts and are connecting on a deal with big names switching sides. TSN's Pierre LeBrun and ESPN's Kevin Weekes have the trade details, which include Sabres forward Dylan Cozens.

“I’m told [the] Senators and Sabres are working a potential trade which may include F’s [Josh] Norris and [defenseman Jacob] Bernard-Docker,” Weekes reported.

LeBrun followed up with the Sabres side of the deal. “further to what Kevin Weekes reported here, Dylan Cozens part of this trade both teams are working on.”

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman finished off the trade later in the day. ” Ottawa/Buffalo deal sounds like: Norris/Bernard-Docker for
Cozens/Gilbert and a 2nd in 2026.”

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This report adds pending UFA defenseman Dennis Gilbert and a second-rounder to the deal. Bryson is 28 years old and has bounced around the league. In 25 games this year, he has zero goals and five assists and plays about 10 minutes per night.

As this trade was breaking, TSN's Bruce Garrioch reported that Josh Norris almost went to the Nashville Predators for Ryan O'Reilly. He then followed up by saying he spoke to four general managers before the trade deadline and they had all been offered Norris.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams gave Cozens a seven-year contract after he scored 31 goals in 2022-23. But his offensive numbers have gone way down since then. According to Garrioch, the Senators liked his toughness and his willingness to fight.  They do not have a lot of behind Brady Tkachuk.

The Sabres will likely add forward Josh Norris and defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker when this deal is done. Norris has a similar contract to Cozens, as he is due $7.95 million per year through 2030. Bernard-Docker is still on his rookie deal and is a restricted free agent after this season. Buffalo needs cheap defensemen behind their high-priced top three of Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson. Bernard-Docker provides that.