According to ESPN’s Kevin Weekes, the Toronto Maple Leafs are among several teams who have some level of trade interest in acquiring Buffalo Sabres centre Dylan Cozens.

Weekes mentions the Leafs are joined by the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames and Detroit Red Wings as teams who have expressed interest. Cozens, 23, is a 6-foot-3 centre who has posted 10 goals, and 26 points in 53 games. In what many are considering a down season for the 2019 first-round pick, Cozens is averaging 17:24 of ice time per game, including 2:26 on the power play. He also receives spot duty as a penalty killer for Lindy Ruff’s hockey club.

The Whitehorse, YT native has shown in the past he’s capable of being a reliable top-line force for the Sabres. Cozens scored 31 goals and 68 points, as a 22-year-old, two seasons ago. The soon-to-be 24-year-old is signed through the 2029-30 season at $7.1 million AAV, and he doesn’t carry any trade protection until the 2027-28 season.

Buffalo enters Wednesday’s action dead last in the Eastern Conference, with a 22-26-5 record. They have been linked to several trades, and are certainly a team who will be selling, and re-tooling before the March 7 deadline. The Maple Leafs have been interested in landing another middle-six centre throughout this season, and have recently moved Max Domi to the wing, where he could be permanently situated if the Leafs were to add an impact player down the middle like Cozens.

If Toronto and Buffalo were to strike a deal, there’s no doubt GM Brad Treliving would have to pay an in-division premium to land Cozens. Sabres’ GM Kevyn Adams has a ton of pressure to get things right in Buffalo, as the team continues to take giant steps backwards, and hasn’t been able to find the right mix for his young core, whether that’s up front or on the back end.

With Cozens earning $7.1 million against the cap, there would have to be at least one or two roster players heading to Buffalo in the deal, as the Maple Leafs currently have a projected $3.8 million in deadline cap space.