Dylan Cozens and Dennis Gilbert were traded to the Ottawa Senators by the Buffalo Sabres on Friday for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker.
Ottawa also received a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Cozens, a 24-year-old forward, is in the second year of a seven-year, $49.7 million contract ($7.1 million average annual value) he signed with Buffalo on Feb. 7, 2023. He has 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 61 games this season.
Selected by Buffalo with the No. 7 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Cozens has 197 points (77 goals, 120 assists) in 341 regular-season games.
Gilbert signed a one-year $825,000 contract with Buffalo on July 1, 2024, and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. The 28-year-old defenseman has five assists in 25 games this season and 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) in 107 regular-season games for the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames and Sabres since he was selected by Chicago in the third round (No. 91) of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Norris is in the third season of an eight-year, $63.6 million contract ($7.95 million AAV) he signed with the Senators on July 14, 2022. The 25-year-old forward has 33 points (20 goals, 13 assists) in 53 games this season.
The No. 19 pick by Ottawa in the 2017 NHL Draft, Norris has 156 points (90 goals, 66 assists) in 236 regular-season games.
Bernard-Docker is in the last of a two-year, $1.61 million contract ($805,000 AAV) he signed with Ottawa on July 1, 2023, and can become a restricted free agent. The 24-year-old defenseman has four points (one goal, three assists) in 25 games this season.
The No. 26 pick by Ottawa in the 2018 NHL Draft, Bernard-Docker has 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 129 regular-season games.
Ottawa (31-25-5) holds the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Buffalo (24-31-6) is last in the East, 13 points behind the Senators for the second wild card.