It’s time for another round of NHL rumours. Though we’ve just entered the new year, speculation is already heating up as teams push to secure a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This often means big moves are on the horizon, and some teams may need to take bold actions. This edition of NHL rumours focuses on the Detroit Red Wings, who are reportedly eyeing a young forward within their own division.
As always, all NHL rumours come from their original sources and are subject to change.
The Red Wings have been on a winning streak since firing Derek Lalonde, with new head coach Todd McLellan guiding the team to success. Detroit has now won five consecutive games.
Many had written off the Red Wings, but they are now just two points behind the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference heading into Thursday night’s games. The team’s power play ranks third in the league, making them a formidable threat if it continues to perform well. We’ve previously mentioned Cozens as a potential trade candidate in NHL rumours. While the Sabres would likely prefer to keep him, the right offers might be too tempting to pass up.
What it means
Buffalo’s ongoing struggles could lead to some players being available for trade. With the Sabres still facing issues, they may need to part ways with another young star. At 23 years old, Cozens could fit into the second-line center role behind Dylan Larkin for Detroit.
According to the Daily Faceoff, it’s still uncertain whether Marco Kasper can handle a second-line pivot role, and prospect Nate Danielson, while promising, is still in need of development. Detroit has a strong pool of prospects and draft capital that could be used to acquire Cozens. However, the Red Wings face a challenge with salary cap space. They currently have nearly $6.7 million in cap space, while Cozens earns $7.1 million, meaning Detroit would need to free up some salary to make a deal work.
There’s speculation that Michael Rasmussen could be included in any trade, as moving his $3.2 million contract would help with the cap space. However, he might only be the starting point of a potential deal.