2025 NHL Trade Deadline: Senators swing blockbuster for Cozens, ship Norris to Sabres

The Ottawa Senators are the first Canadian team to make a major splash on trade deadline day, acquiring centre Dylan Cozens, defenceman Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for centre Josh Norris and defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker.

Make sure to check out our 2025 NHL trade tracker for a complete list of deals.

Ottawa Senators

The 24-year-old Cozens has 11 goals and 31 points in 60 games with Buffalo this season. Holding a cap hit of $7.1 million for five more seasons after this one, Ottawa is hoping they have finally found their second line centre to play behind sniper Tim Stutzle.

Cozens’ best season came in 2022-23 when he finished with a career-high 31 goals and 68 points. After the Sens drafted Cozens seventh overall in 2019, the Yukon native has produced 77 goals and 197 points in 341 career games with Ottawa.

Gilbert, 28, has five assists in 28 games with the Sabres this season. He is on a one-year, $825,000 contract and is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Buffalo Sabres

Norris, 25, has 20 goals and 33 points with Ottawa this year. He has another five years on his contract after this season at a cap hit of $7.95 million, with a modified no-trade clause that kicks in after next season.

Drafted 19th overall by San Jose in 2017, Norris was part of the deal that sent Erik Karlsson to the Sharks. He was limited to just 32 games last season and eight in 2022-23 because of a recurring shoulder injury.

Bernard-Docker, 24, is on the final season of a two-year, $1.61 million deal he signed with Ottawa in July 2023. The right-shot defenceman has one goal and four points in 25 games with the Senators this season.

Bernard-Docker hasn’t played since Dec. 28 because of a high ankle sprain.