BUFFALO, NY – The Buffalo Sabers have signed forward Dylan Cozens to a seven-year contract worth a total of US$49.7 million.
The team confirmed the information on Tuesday. Cozens will take $7.1 million from the team’s payroll until the conclusion of the 2029-30 season.
Cozens, who will celebrate his 22nd birthday on Thursday, is the last Sabers core player to sign with the team. The Sabers signed star forward Tage Thompson to a seven-year, $50 million contract in August, followed by seven-year, $30 million defenseman Mattias Samuelsson in October.
Rasmus Dahlin, the first pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and a Norris Trophy contender this season who replaced Thompson as the Sabers’ representative in the NHL All-Star Game, is expected to be next to cash. His agreement is valid until next season, and he could start discussing a contract extension as early as next summer.
Cozens, who could have become a restricted free agent, has already set career highs with 17 goals, 26 assists and 43 points, with 30 games remaining in the campaign. Cozens, the seventh pick in the 2019 auction, has 34 goals and 60 assists in 169 NHL regular season games, all with the Sabres.
The Sabres, powered by Dahlin, Thompson, Cozens and 2021 NHL Draft No. 1 pick Owen Power, are battling for a playoff berth. The Sabres’ 11-season drought without a spring tournament appearance, which began in 2011, is the longest currently on the Bettman circuit
