Tyson Kozak scored his first goal of the season Monday night in the Buffalo Sabres' 4-2 loss to the Atlantic Division rival Montreal Canadiens. It was a richly deserved moment in the spotlight for the 2021 seventh-round pick, who's been the team's most effective bottom-six player.
Kozak's baseline stats don't jump off the page. The goal was his first point in five appearances to go along with 13 hits and four shots on goal while averaging just over 10 minutes of ice time. His underlying numbers paint a better picture about his play, though.
The 22-year-old Canadian leads full-time Sabres players with a 68.5 expected goals for percentage (xGF%) at 5-on-5 and Buffalo has generated 69.2% of the high-danger chances when he's on the ice, according to Natural Stat Trick. It illustrates his effectiveness in the niche lineup role.
It wasn't enough on Monday, however, as four different players lit the lamp for the Habs — Oliver Kapanen, Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson and Jake Evans — to halt Buffalo's brief winning streak at two. Jiri Kulich scored the other goal for the Blue and Gold.
So, let's dive into the latest edition of our Sabres player grades series as the club's record drops to 2-4-0 early in the 2025-26 campaign.
Tyson Kozak leads the Buffalo Sabres grades for the Oct. 20 loss to the Montreal Canadiens
Sabres player grades
Player | Grade (1-10) |
|---|---|
Tyson Kozak | 8.5 |
Jiri Kulich | 8 |
Zach Benson | 7.5 |
Rasmus Dahlin | 6.5 |
Josh Doan | 6 |
Jack Quinn | 6 |
Alex Lyon | 6 |
Ryan McLeod | 5,5 |
Mattias Samuelsson | 5.5 |
Zach Metsa | 5 |
Tage Thompson | 5 |
Owen Power | 4.5 |
Conor Timmins | 4.5 |
Alex Tuch | 4.5 |
Bowen Byram | 4 |
Josh Dunne | 3 |
Peyton Krebs | 3 |
Mason Geertsen | 2.5 |
Jason Zucker | 2 |
Buffalo Player of the Game: Tyson Kozak
The late-round draft pick is making a strong case to remain in the Sabres' lineup, even as the team moves closer to full strength after a rash of injuries. Jordan Greenway, another bottom-six option, is getting closer to a return but he should replace Mason Geertsen or Josh Dunne.
Kozak has never been a high-end point producer aside from a single season (2021-22) with the WHL's Portland Winterhawks when he tallied 69 points in 66 games. That was his fourth year in junior hockey, though, so that type of performance was expected.
That said, the 5-foot-11 forward has established himself as a smart, dependable player who can limited scoring chances in the defensive zone. He also gives head coach Lindy Ruff some additional line-building flexibility since he can play center or wing.
Kozak probably won't ever develop the offensive prowess necessary to climb the lineup. That said, delivering elite analytics in a smaller role still provides a lot of value, and that's exactly what he's brought to the table so far this season.
Sabres quick hits
- Kulich has played far better over the past two games, which suggests the recent wake-up call from Ruff was a wise tactic by the veteran coach.
- Rasmus Dahlin has played solid hockey, but he's yet to look like the Norris Trophy candidate most people expected coming into the campaign.
- Alex Lyon once again kept the Sabres in the game until deep into the third period. He's made a strong claim to the starting role, even once Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is healthy.
- Zach Metsa held his own in his first career NHL game.
- Jason Zucker had his worst game of the season and combined with Owen Power on a turnover that led to the Canadiens' game-winning goal.
- Bowen Byram needs to start generating more offense amid a quiet start to the year.
- The Sabres return to action Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. ET) when they welcome the Detroit Red Wings to the KeyBank Center for a nationally televised game on TNT.