NHL: three things to expect after Dylan Cozens' extension

The Buffalo Sabres are having one of their best seasons in a long time. The emergence of Dylan Cozens has paid dividends.

The Sabres are in the thick of the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference. They are just one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the final Wild Card spot. They sit fourth in the Atlantic Division, trailing the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins.

Former first round pick Dylan Cozens has blossomed into an exceptional scorer. He has been a major factor in the Sabres' success this season. The Sabres just signed Cozens to a seven-year, $49.7 million contract extension.

Here are three things that Sabres fans should expect from Dylan Cozens and the team:

Dylan Cozens signs a lucrative seven-year extension. What should NHL fans expect moving forward?

Buffalo Sabres v Tampa Bay Lightning

1. Expect the points to continue to pile up

Dylan Cozens has amassed 17 goals and 26 assists in 49 games this season. He has played a major role in elevating wingers Jack Quinn and John Jason Peterka on the second line for the Sabres. Expect the production to continue on Buffalo’s second-most dangerous line.

Cozens and Quinn are 21 years old, and Peterka is 20. If the Sabres trio continues to develop chemistry, they could become one of the league's top lines. The sky is the limit for what Cozens can accomplish with the Sabres over the next seven years.

2. The Sabres will keep spending big

The Sabres' long-awaited young core has finally arrived. Some of these players are in line for big paydays. The Cozens contract is only the beginning. Signing Cozens to a long-term deal demonstrates their commitment to their young core.

The good news is that the Sabres have more than a year to go before they have to start thinking about extending these players. Owen Power, Jack Quinn, Peyton Krebs, and Ukka Pekka Luukkonen are priorities for the franchise.

3. It's time for the Sabres to build around their young core

Now that the Sabres have a core to build around, how will they complement their young talent?

With $18.2 million in projected cap space, the Sabres have a lot of financial flexibility. They have the ability to acquire top-end talent at the Trade Deadline or in the offseason.

It will be interesting to see how Buffalo moves forward with their roster construction. They have the potential for long-term success but need to proceed with caution. One wrong move could jeopardize their entire rebuild.