Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) – Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams says he started talking to Dylan Cozens' agent in the summer about a contract extension. Cozens' agent called Adams back recently, and both sides were able to come to an agreement.
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Adams spoke with the media on Thursday and said what he has been saying since he was hired as general manager.
“You lock up, you retain, and that’s how we do things," said Adams. "But we will not compromise today’s success for the vision on the longer term, and the reason is we want to set up this organization for sustainable success.”
Adams then jumped to the upcoming NHL Trade Deadline on what he’s potentially looking for.
“It’s all stuff we’ll balance and talk about,” he said of the March 3 deadline.
Part of Adams' vision is identifying the core of this team, and getting them signed long-term. That’s what Buffalo did on Tuesday when they inked Cozens to a seven-year, $49.7 million contract.
“I spent time with Dylan a few weeks ago, just talking about where we’re at, where he’s at, where we’re headed, and philosophically making sure that we’re aligned. Then I started meeting with his agent,” Adams said of the process.
Cozens didn’t score goals at the end of last season, but he played very well down the stretch. Adams says that’s when he saw the 22-year-old start making big strides.
“I saw big steps in his play, and maybe it didn’t end up with the puck in the net, but you could see the process of his game was getting there. He was getting scoring chances,” he said.
Adams talks to all different corners of the hockey department when evaluating his players. When it comes to identifying the core players that they want to move forward with, he feels it needs to be a group decision on which players end up receiving long-term deals.
“I have my own strong personal views on what I see, but I absolutely believe in collaboration. I’m not looking for everyone to agree with me. It's to check it all," Adams said.
“I hear about the numbers and the data, because I know what I’m seeing, but is this what’s actually coming through in the analytics, the scouting, the coaching staff? Because they have a whole different feel, they’re on the bench.”
So why did they identify Cozens, Tage Thompson and Mattias Samuelsson as pieces to extend for the long-term?
“We think about does the players have the will, the work ethic and the drive to get better every day? Do they want to get better? And then do you see them getting better?,” Adams explained.
What Sabres head coach Don Granato sees in having Cozens and Thompson locked up for nine years is having two very good centers that haven’t even plateaued in their careers.
“They’re good centermen in so many ways, and the bottom line for them is they’re winners and they compete to win. They will not be satisfied with not winning," said Granato on Thursday.
“They’re very, very good people, and they send the right messages. They’ve gotten to where they are not by skill and talent, but by work ethic and commitment.”
Ever since Cozens got to Buffalo, he has maintained that he wants to be a member of the Sabres. Now that he has this contract, he couldn’t be happier.
“I wanted to sign a long-term extension, and to know that I’m going to be here for, at least, the next seven years, it’s exciting for me and my family,” said Cozens on Thursday.
While speaking on his 22nd birthday, Cozens was very clear about what he expects from this organization.
“My vision is for this team to be a contender every single year. That’s the goal we have is to win the Stanley Cup, and we all believe that’s what we can do," he said. "It’s real easy for me to want to be here for a long time.”
Tage Thompson did an on-ice workout for the medical staff on Thursday, and both Adams and Granato said it went really well. Granato says Thompson could've practiced with his teammates, but it was a hard workout and they didn't want to double load him with another practice.
Thompson is scheduled to practice on Friday.
Meanwhile, forward Tyson Jost missed practice on Thursday with an illness.
