Getting to Know Dylan Cozens

Just six days ago, Steve Staios had himself a monumental trade deadline, bringing in Fabian Zetterlund, Dennis Gilbert and Dylan Cozens. Cozens was the most intriguing of the acquisitions, coming from the Buffalo Sabres after a couple of disappointing seasons. Just three games into his time with the Ottawa Senators, he has quickly won over the fanbase, scoring two goals, an assist, and registering a team high 18 hits. So what went wrong in Buffalo? What are the specific strengths and weaknesses to his game? Let’s dive into the details and get to know Dylan Cozens!

READ MORE: Getting to Know Fabian Zetterlund

Cozens’ Struggles in Buffalo

One theory of why Cozens’ play fell off in Buffalo is that he was never the same after a fight early last season with Garnet Hathaway. He was forced to miss two games after the fight. Here were his numbers last season, before and after that fight:

• Before: 11 games, 3 goals, 7 points (0.27 goals per game, 0.64 points per game)
• After: 68 games, 15 goals, 40 points (0.22 goals per game, 0.59 points per game) 

The “after” numbers, while down slightly, aren’t so much worse that we should conclude that the fight with Hathaway is conclusively what changed Cozens’ game for the worse. I’m sure the fight was humbling, and perhaps left Cozens acting more cautiously when it comes to dropping the gloves. Inevitably, there is more to Cozens’ struggles than just the lost fight. Here are a few other issues over his last two seasons in Buffalo:

• Powerplay Fall-Off: The Sabres power play was ninth in the league at 23.4% in Cozens’ breakout 2022-23 season. Last season, they fell to 29th in the league at just 16.6%. This season they sit 27th at 16.9%. Cozens went from 18 power play points in 2022-23 to 10 last season. This season, he scored just four power play points with the Sabres.
• Shooting Decline: Cozens scored on 14.7% of his shots in 2022-23. Last season, he was down to 9%. This season with the Sabres, he was down even further, to 7.9%.

To add to that, the Buffalo Sabres thought they’d be competing for a playoff spot these last two seasons. Instead, they finished last season slightly over .500 and have regressed even further this season. Put it altogether and you have a player in Cozens who seemed to progressively play with less confidence, likely frustrated by both the losing and his lack of personal success.

Cozens’ Skillset

Just three games into his time with the Senators, Cozens’ style of game is already becoming apparent. He skates well, but he’s not a speedster. His puck handling is good, but he isn’t a dominant, puck possession type of player. He is physical, but not a Brady Tkachuk type of power forward. Here are a few things that Cozens needs to do in order to succeed: use his size to his advantage, go to the net, commit to a two-way style of game, and shoot the puck. So far, so good. His goal against the Flyers certainly illustrated his ability as a goal scorer.

We know how things go, though. Cozens is playing with a ton of adrenaline right now, fueled in part by his chance to join a new team in the middle of a playoff race. It seems as though consistency was a problem with Cozens in Buffalo. That’s where Ottawa’s veteran leadership should help in holding a young player like Cozens accountable. It’s important that the details of his game remain strong. It’s unlikely that he will continue to score a point in every game he plays with the Senators. The lesser offensive games are fine so long as he keeps playing with physicality and a high level of intensity.

Looking Ahead

So far, Dylan Cozens has spent most of his time at even strength with Drake Batherson and David Perron. He’s also joined the Senators top power play, scoring the game winner against the Red Wings from his one-timer side on a feed from Jake Sanderson. While he may change linemates, and might see himself drop down to the second power play unit, he is undoubtedly a highly important player going forward for the Senators.

It’s been a great three games for Cozens, but he’s signed until the end of the 2029-30 season. There’s no winner or loser from this trade as of now. That really won’t be decided for a number of years. As for the here and now, it’s pretty simple- Cozens needs to keep playing like he has during his first few games as a Senator, helping the team make the playoffs and allowing Cozens to play playoff hockey for the first time in his career.