Red Wings Trade Talk: Possible Sabres Deal Cools

There’s been plenty to notice around Little Caesars Arena during the current two-game win streak of the Detroit Red Wings. One of those things is the fact that there hasn’t been any sign of scouts from the Buffalo Sabres at either game.

If we’re to believe the NHL trade rumor scuttlebutt, there’s been talks about a deal going on recently between the Sabres and Red Wings. However, were something to truly be imminent, wouldn’t you expect the Sabres to have people bird dogging the Red Wings in order to assess the talent they might want back in a trade?

Detroit Hockey Now has spoken with several NHL sources and there appears to be no evidence of an impending deal between these two Atlantic Division rivals.

I need this Sabres & Red Wings trade to happen immediately. The suspense is killing me

— The Hockey Guy (@HockeyBanterPod) December 30, 2024

As someone who has worked their life in the publishing industry, trade talk is a lot like book talk. Over the years, I’ve been approached by numerous people suggesting that I should write a book on (insert name of obscure former NHLer here).

Here’s the thing about that: It’s easy to write a book. And it’s easy to print a book. What’s difficult is selling a book.

In the world of NHL trades, it’s easy to talk about them, to generate rumors that on the surface, might even seem logical for both teams. What’s hard to do, especially in the salary cap era, is the making of a trade.

Red Wings Fans Would Love Cozens

Sabres center Dylan Cozens is the player the Hockeytown faithful certainly covet. He could be that second-line center the team’s been seeking out forever.

One rumor even went as far as to suggest the reason why the Red Wings were moving Joe Veleno to the top line is because they are showcasing him in a one-for-one deal for Cozens.

New flash – that deal is about as likely to happen as Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell is likely to punt on fourth and one.

Does mean Detroit GM Steve Yzerman definitely hasn’t talked to the Sabres regarding Cozens? Absolutely not.

“You talk to every team in the league,” Yzerman said. “Okay, like, we want this player from your team, okay, we want that player.

“He may or may not be available. And well, to get those players, we gotta give up our good players.

“It’s as simple as that. It’s not like, ‘hey, I’m gonna give you my bad players for your good players, okay? Like, I’ll give you two bad ones for one good one.’ It doesn’t work that way.”

A possible Cozens scenario would likely involve Marco Kasper moving to Buffalo. Would you do that deal? In a heartbeat.

However, there are extenuating circumstances. The Sabres are going to want more than just Kasper. That might even mean giving up a first-round pick.

From Detroit’s perspective, Cozens has an AAV of $7.1 million. The Red Wings can’t fit that number under the cap. They’ll need the Sabres to also take a contract, someone like JT Compher, Andrew Copp, or Vladimir Tarasenko. Why would Buffalo want to do that?

Wild Speculation is Rampant

Another crazy trade rumor that’s out there – Owen Power straight up for Moritz Seider. Let’s make this perfectly clear – the Red Wings are not trading Mo Seider.

What about Seider for Power?

— Myth Buster (@BonaRiverRat) December 31, 2024

From speaking with NHL people, there was a suggestion put forth of a deal that might make sense for both clubs. A trade of struggling young wingers, Jonatan Berggren for Jack Quinn. And again, this was just a possibility put out there. There’s no evidence that it might be happening.

At that, even this proposal comes with a caveat. Given more freedom to be creative under new coach Todd McLellan, Berggren is looking like a different player. Do the Red Wings really want to move on from him at this stage without being certain of what his offensive upside might be?

It’s like we said that the outset, trades are easy to talk about. They are much harder to make.