Steve Staios shook up his roster core forward of the NHL commerce deadline.
The Ottawa Senators basic supervisor acquired Dylan Cozens from the Buffalo Sabres for fellow centre Josh Norris in a blockbuster transfer Friday.
Ottawa additionally shipped defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker out of city within the swap that noticed the Senators achieve blue liner Dennis Gilbert and a second-round choose on the 2026 NHL draft.
Cozens, a 24-year-old carrying a wage cap hit of $7.1 million US by way of 2029-30, has 11 objectives and 20 assists for 31 factors throughout 61 video games this season.
Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk needed to maintain again his tears after the Senators made an enormous splash earlier than the NHL commerce deadline since Norris is a longtime buddy.
“It is fairly robust,” an emotional Tkachuk mentioned moments after the commerce, which comes amid Ottawa’s push to finish its seven-season playoff drought. “It sucks, dropping a man like that. Clearly everyone is aware of how a lot he means to me.”
The six-foot-three, 207-pound Whitehorse native picked seventh total in 2019 has registered 77 objectives and 120 assists for 197 factors in 341 profession regular-season video games.
Norris, in the meantime, put up 20 objectives and 13 assists in 53 video games with Ottawa in 2024-25. He has 90 objectives and 66 assists in 236 profession video games — all with the Senators — after coming to the nation’s capital as a part of the Erik Karlsson commerce with the San Jose Sharks in 2018.
However the 25-year-old carrying a $7.95-million cap hit for the following 5 seasons has struggled to remain wholesome all through his profession — together with three separate shoulder accidents that required surgical procedure.
Ottawa hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017 regardless of a boatload of expertise led by captain Brady Tkachuk and star centre Tim Stutzle that is been collected by way of a protracted rebuild.
The Senators (31-25-5) at present maintain the second wild-card spot within the Jap Convention, whereas the Sabres (24-31-6) sit within the basement and are on track to overlook the playoffs for a 14th straight season.
The transfer was the primary massive one with Friday’s deadline set for 3 p.m. ET after a number of GMs made splashes within the days main as much as the cutoff.
The Winnipeg Jets have acquired veteran defenceman Luke Schenn from the Pittsburgh Penguins for 2 draft picks.
Winnipeg is sending a second-round choose in 2026 and a fourth-round selection in 2027 to Pittsburgh.
The Jets have additionally landed ahead Brandon Tanev from the Seattle Kraken for a second-rounder, based on a number of studies.
The Penguins flipped Schenn after buying him and ahead Tommy Novak from the Nashville Predators for Michael Bunting and a fourth-rounder on Wednesday. Schenn didn’t play a sport with Pittsburgh.
The 35-year-old from Saskatoon has one purpose and 4 assists in 61 video games this season. The journeyman has been concerned in a number of trades throughout his profession, taking part in for eight totally different NHL franchises.
The Florida Panthers added defenceman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks, whereas the Tampa Bay Lightning picked up forwards Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Seattle Kraken as a part of the East’s arms race.
In the meantime out within the West, the Edmonton Oilers added measurement up entrance with the acquisition of Trent Frederic from the Boston Bruins earlier than getting some blue-line assist in the type of Jake Walman from the San Jose Sharks.
The Vegas Golden Knights introduced again a well-known face with the commerce for Reilly Smith from the New York Rangers. The Colorado Avalanche snagged centre Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders.
One other state of affairs to look at intently is pending unrestricted free agent Mikko Rantanen and the Carolina Hurricanes.
The star winger was acquired from Colorado final month, however hasn’t signed a contract extension with the Hurricanes and may very well be dealt once more earlier than the tip of the day.
The 28-year-old Rantanen, who carries a $9.5-million wage cap hit, has cracked 100 factors the final two seasons after placing up 5 objectives and 20 assists in Colorado’s 2022 playoff run that ended with the franchise’s third Stanley Cup title.
He is registered 70 factors in 2024-25, however has simply two objectives and 4 assists in 13 video games with the Hurricanes
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