Dylan Cozens is the subject of trade rumors less than two years after the center signed a seven-year contract with the Sabres.

Ryan McLeod scored two goals and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Wednesday night. Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson also scored and Jason Zucker had two assists for the Sabres, who won for the third time in four games.

Ryan McLeod scored three goals for his first career hat trick and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Wednesday night. Dylan Cozens also scored and Jason Zucker had two assists for the Sabres,

Ryan McLeod scored his first-career hat trick and the Buffalo Sabres held on for 4-2 win against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday.

Zucker’s net-front residence has yielded offense at both 5-on-5 and on a resurgent Buffalo power play. Since Dec. 21, with Zucker a regular on the top unit, the Sabres have gone 9-for-28 (32 percent) with the man advantage, seventh best in the NHL during that span.

NHL Edge defines the high-danger area as the blue paint and the ice directly in front of it. Zucker has scored 12 goals from that area this season, tied for ninth in the league and four off the lead shared by Gabriel Vilardi and Leon Draisaitl.