Buffalo Sabres: Dylan Cozens produced despite lack of goals
Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens proved in the second half of the season that production does not always show up on the stat sheet.
The Buffalo Sabres saw several key players post outstanding seasons, and the stat sheet shows just how many breakout players the franchise had in 2021-22. Rasmus Dahlin evolved into one of the game’s best two-way defensemen while Tage Thompson was by far the most improved forward.
Even players like Casey Mittelstadt, who has ridden the Bust Label for years now, started seeing better output as the season reached twilight mode. Kyle Okposo and Jeff Skinner, two players whose careers appeared to be finished, saw new life.
One name not mentioned often, however, is Dylan Cozens. The reason behind this is that he did not produce as well during the second half of the season. At least in the important points category. But that doesn’t mean Cozens was an ineffective player.
Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens proved solid production does not always appear on the stat sheet
They call Cozens the Workhorse from Whitehorse for a reason. It exemplifies his playing style. He scored just two goals following the All-Star break, but when you watch Cozens on film, you see him produce in other areas – most of that production just doesn’t land on the stat sheet.
He stepped up his defensive output, but his real production came in winning face-offs. Over his last 28 games, Cozens logged a face-off win percentage of 50% or better 18 times.
He allowed the Sabres to take possession of the puck and created scoring opportunities. Despite his lack of goals, Cozens remained aggressive with his total shot output, forcing opponents to key on him.
Over the first half of the season, he posted an 11 percent shooting percentage and finished with just 8.1. But the aggression and grit remained. And that alone made Cozens a valuable player.
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Heading into the offseason, look for Cozens to refine his shooting technique. And if he scores the way he did during the first half of the season, expect him to be the next breakout Buffalo Sabre.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)