Buffalo Sabres: Dylan Cozens is playing at a near-elite level
By Sion Fawkes
Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens won’t be playing in the NHL All-Star Game, but that doesn’t mean he’s not playing close to elite.
No, Dylan Cozens isn’t going to the NHL All-Star Game, but when you look at his numbers, they’re about as close to elite as you can get for a 21-year-old player in their third season. Cozens, who will turn 22 in February, is currently second in the league among players 21 and younger in points, as you can see in Lance Lysowski’s Tweet below.
Cozens actually has 42 points now, still putting him on pace for 28 goals, 48 assists, and 76 points. Not bad for a kid who scored just 41 points and 13 goals last season. His shooting percentage also sits at a solid 13.7%.
Dylan Cozens has 10 multi-point games this season. Only one NHL skater 21 years old or younger has more points than Cozens' 41, per @SabresPR.
— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) January 21, 2023
Having a dynamite season. On pace for 28 goals and 76 points.
Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens is playing far better than you think
The Workhorse from Whitehorse, as many call him, has been more than just a scorer, however. Cozens has also shown sound leadership abilities, leading the Kid Line comprising J.J. Peterka and Jack Quinn.
He has also improved in the faceoff realm, with a 49.5% FOW%, a nearly four percent increase over last season. He also has just 10 giveaways, which is on pace to put him at a far lower number than the 30 in 79 games he had in 2021-22.
Defensively, Cozens also stepped up his game. With 25 takeaways, he is well on his way to shattering his previous career high of 33, and his 37 hits is already a new career high. He also has 18 blocks, four away from tying his career high of 22.
Must Read. Sabres seriously need to stop playing to their competition. light
Overall, Cozens is just about as good as you can get for a 21-year-old that won’t see the All-Star Game this season. But if he continues his growth for the rest of an into next season, don’t be surprised if he winds up putting up elite numbers.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
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