Not long after the Sabres went on an absolute roll, they entered yet another crash-landing portion of their up-and-down season. One player could be on the ascent, however, and you would love to see it. Ironically enough, this player looked down and out for a bit, so despite the recent losing, I can’t help but feel relief for Dylan Cozens.
Yeah, the same Dylan Cozens who was struggling just a short time ago, but he might just be primed for a sensational December. Cozens has recorded three points and two goals in his previous four games and a plus-3 rating. He’s also been more consistent in the faceoff circle, so all signs point to a rebound should he build on his recent momentum.
Overall, Cozens’ numbers don’t look fantastic, so he has a long way to go if he’s looking to claw his way back to respectability. He has just 10 points on the year in 24 games, with five goals. He’s also averaging one giveaway per game, so turnovers remain an issue.
Dylan Cozens could be turning the corner as the Sabres head into December
Something I’ve liked from Cozens all season, though, has been his physical play, with 50 hits so far. There’s a chance that, should he keep up such play, Cozens could reach the 200-hit milestone, something you don’t always see from someone getting regular top-six minutes.
Despite his less-than-stellar production overall, it also hasn’t been like the Sabres haven’t been scoring when Cozens is on the ice. At even strength, they’ve been finding the net 10.3 percent of the time with Cozens out there, and he’s been responsible for creating some chances, with a Corsi For in that same situation standing at 53.2 percent.
So, keep a close watch on Cozens as the Sabres steamroll into December. None of this is to say he’ll keep up his recent uptick in production, but if he does, watch out. The Blue and Gold have hit a scoring snag lately, so if he’s getting hot and the Sabres rediscover their rhythm, December will be a lot of fun for him, the team, and the fans.
Plus, he could also rebound into the player was in 2022-23, the one who scored 31 times and garnered 68 points. That will serve as a major boost for a team still searching for one more top-six forward to take them over the top.