With trade speculation swirling about Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens, 20-year-old Jiri Kulich impressed coach Lindy Ruff on the first line.

The Buffalo Sabres haven't clinched a playoff berth since 2011-12. Their ongoing struggle to rise out of the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings

With trade speculation swirling about Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens, 20-year-old Jiri Kulich impressed coach Lindy Ruff on the first line.

The Red Wings and Sabres nearly made a major trade involving Dylan Cozens before the NHL's annual holiday break.

“ [The Flames] continue to scour the market for a 25-and-under, right-shot center,” LeBrun wrote. “They are among the very long list of teams that have checked in with the Buffalo Sabres regarding 23-year-old Dylan Cozens.”

The Flyers could use a long-term option down the middle of the ice, making Sabres star Dylan Cozens a trade fit.

The Red Wings, under new head coach Todd McLellan, have reinserted themselves into the Eastern Conference playoff race and boast a 19-18-4 record that has the franchise just two points off the second wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli recently offered insight into why the Toronto Maple Leafs are not involved in trade talks for Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens.

The Red Wings are currently red hot with seven straight wins and appear to be a likely candidate for one of the Eastern wild card spots. They are two points behind the Blue Jackets for the second wild spot and could overpass them and the cluster of teams still in the race by continuing and prolonging their hot streak with a big trade.

The intrigue about Canucks centers J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson continues, while the Sabres' Dylan Cozens and Islanders' Brock Nelson remain in the rumor mill.

Jamie Oleksiak scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, and Adam Larsson and Jared McCann added scores in the third as the Seattle Kraken beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-4.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a third line center issue, but according to analysts the best solution lies with the Buffalo Sabres but more specifically Dylan Cozens.