Buffalo Sabres sign Dylan Cozens to seven-year contract extension

The Buffalo Sabres have locked up a key part of the future to a long-term deal.

The team announced on Tuesday that they’ve agreed to terms on a seven-year contract extension with forward Dylan Cozens. The contract is worth $49.7 million in total so it carries an annual salary cap hit of $7.1 million.

Buffalo selected Cozens with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft from the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL. He returned to Lethbridge for one more season of Major Junior before making his NHL debut with the Sabres during the pandemic-shortened 2021 season.

As a rookie, Cozens scored four goals and 13 points over the course of 41 games for the Sabres. Buffalo allowed Cozens to leave the team to represent Canada at the 2021 World Juniors and he finished second in tournament scoring with 16 points in seven games.

Cozens scored 13 goals and 38 points in his sophomore season in 2021-22 and has broken out this season with 17 goals and 43 points over his first 49 games. He’s established himself as Buffalo’s second-line center behind Tage Thompson, playing largely with John Peterka and Jack Quinn on his wings.

The Sabres now have their one-two center punch locked up long-term, as the seven-year, $50 million contract that Thompson signed back in August will start in 2023-24.

Cozens was one of four players on Buffalo’s roster who was set to become a restricted free agent this summer. Other names who will be in need of new deals after the 2022-23 season are Tyson Jost, Rasmus Asplund, and Kale Clague.