NHL Rumor Mill – January 3, 2025
Check out the latest on the Flames and Islanders in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
CALGARY SUN: Kent Wilson examined whether Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens would be a good fit for the Flames. They’ve been in the market for a big center with a right-handed shot.
The 6’3”, 210-pound Cozens seems to fit the bill. He’s two years removed from a career-best 31-goal, 68-point performance. The 23-year-old has been the frequent subject of recent trade speculation.
Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens (NHL Images).
With a growing pool of draft picks and prospects, the Flames could part with some of them to acquire Cozens. He could help them accelerate their rebuild.
However, Wilson also points out the decline in his production over the past two seasons, adding that he doesn’t drive the play or defend well. He’s employed as a second-line center against other teams’ second and third-liners.
Wilson also believes Cozens would be expensive to acquire and retain. He’s in the second season of a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $7.1 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Sabres are reportedly looking to add to their roster rather than subtract. If they were to trade Cozens (and that remains a big “if” right now) they’ll want a good young player who can provide immediate help in return, not draft picks and prospects. That’s what they got for Casey Mittelstadt last season, swapping him to Colorado for Bowen Bryam.
SPORTSNET: Eric Francis reports Flames goaltender Dan Vladar wants to sign a contract extension. The 27-year-old has evenly split the goalie duties with promising rookie Dustin Wolf but he’s also drawn the bulk of the starts against difficult opponents.
Vladar is earning an annual salary-cap hit of $2.2 million. He is due to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll depend on how much Vladar seeks on his next contract and for how long. The Flames won’t want to invest in a big raise on a long-term deal when Wolf is considered their future between the pipes. However, finding a suitable replacement for Vladar could be difficult.
THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple believes the struggling New York Islanders face a reckoning this season as they hobble into the New Year. He believes the core group are good players, many of whom played key roles in the club’s “delightful run” from 2018 to 2021, “but it is so very over.”
Islanders center Brock Nelson is near the top of most NHL trade boards. However, Staple reports teams that are currently buyers are hearing that Isles general manager Lou Lamoriello isn’t interested in selling. Lamoriello has often said the team’s performance will dictate what he’ll do at the trade deadline. Staple believes the team is “sending a neon message to him now.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lamoriello has been running it back since 2021-22, hoping his core can regain the form that carried the Isles to consecutive conference finals in 2020 and 2021. Since then, however, they missed the 2022 postseason and were bounced from the first round over the following two seasons.
Islanders fans are calling for change, that it’s time for at least a roster retool. The team must take that opportunity to rebuild while their supporters are open to it.
Isles owners don’t care about winning. If so Lou ser would be gone. We the fans know this team is full of grinders with few goal scorers. With terrible special teams why is MacLean still coaching and his son still on the team. The fans need to boycott only way they will move on from this mess. Everyone should be available for the right price. Let Patrick be the GM.
In his 5 year coaching career, he’s a bit over .500. Why would he be a good GM?
Do t get me wrong, I don’t think Lou would be hard to replace. But why Roy with no proven track record?
Isles should find someone a lot better suited for the roll rather than letting a guy with zero experience make things even worse.
Role. Jesus!
Roy is a disrupter who needs the limelight and has ruined every team in the process.
He ruined the Habs with internal strife forcing some trades of players, ruined Jr hockey with his son sent down the ice to fight. The guy has a short fuse and bullying is in his nature, a trait that works in keeping the puck out of the net but counter-productive with everything else.
Disrupters like to think they are special, those who fall for them like to see the crumbling but unfortunately have no concept of building.
HF30, sometimes you post things that are really smart.
Considering that, it’s odd that you cheer for the Habs.
RB,
24 Stanley, Cups and rode the wave on 12 of them.
Standout memory for me was when the Habs missed the playoffs in 1969-70 and Henri Richard was on all fours, on the ice head bowed at the final whistle.
There was a standard of excellence through changing ownership, GMs, coaches, hard not to cheer for the Habs.
I think for some it will take a good run in combination with a couple of teams becoming completely unglued. At least in the east. But I would run to Vegas with my life savings on it.
Pittsburgh, 1 point out. 6.3% chance of making the playoffs.
Montreal, 3 points out 8.4% chance.
Detroit 4 points out , 4.3% chance.
NYR’s 5 points out . 2.7% chance
Columbus 2 points out 0.7% chance.
Buffalo 7 points out 0.8% chance.
***i wouldn’t run to Vegas ***
I left out NYI, and messed up Montreal.
NYI’s 8.4
Montreal 8.6
I’d love to have the Jackets in. They up and comers and play hard every night. They can not get on a run because the goal tending isn’t good enough. Elvis gets upset easy and Tarasov is 6’5″ but plays like he in 5′ 6″.
I like the pieces the Isles have for a retool good depth at center with Barzal and Hovart, Dobson on D and Soroken in goal.
If they could land someone like Marner I think it would make a significant difference. What would it take to get Marner? Trade Lee and Nelson for Marner give Marner $13.5M for 8 years. They would still have significant cap space to add other quality players.
I know a lot would have to happen to make this happen but end of day I don’t think Isles are they far off as people have been suggesting.
The Islanders, 3 – 7 over their past 10, have had some certainly different scheduling over that span not evident with most others.
3 of the 10 have come against Toronto with NY having a 1-2 record, scoring 8 and giving up 8, with 6 of their goals coming in the win over the Leafs (6-3). The 2 losses were both 2-1 losses (one included an empty-netter).
They’ve also played Pittsburgh twice, losing one 2-3 and winning the other 6-3, and Chicago twice, losing one 3-5 and winning the other 5-4.
They’ve played 1 game against each of Buffalo (a 1-7 loss), Carolina (a 0-4 loss) and L.A. (a 1-3 loss).
Their performance since 2022 says otherwise.
Everyone counted the PENGUINS OUT..BIG MISTAKE.
1point out they will make some deals…trust me..
Are they winning the Stanley Cup no..but they can make the playoffs and maybe win a round.
Anything is possible, but as I point out above they have a 6.3% chance as of today.
It would take some very significant moves and a lot of luck for any team above to make the playoffs.
Devine intervention in some cases.
If the Flames want a problem player who stopped scoring and is a team distraction, they will find Dylan Cozens fits the bill as advertised.
Who would the Flames have available among top six forwards who score goals consistently to win games to send to the Sabres?