The 21 year old Center was drafted by the Sabres seventh overall in the 2019 draft. In three seasons with Buffalo, Cozens has shown promise of being a fast and physical player who has the ability to produce offensively. In 49 games this season, Cozens has 17 goals and 43 points - which is a marked improvement from his 38 points in 79 games last season.
This signing seems to be part of larger strategy from the Sabres front office, in retaining young talent for long term no matter the cost. In the last year, the Sabres extended both Tage Thompson and Mattias Samuelsson to eight year deals, and both have the potential to become some of the best value contracts in the league.
At the moment, this contract seems incredibly rich for Cozens. However, if he can also maintain his upward trajectory, this contract will become a bargain in just a few years. It's indicative that's the Sabres believe in this young core, and will commit to building a playoff caliber roster around them.
