The 2023/2024 season was a step back for the Buffalo Sabres organization. After last year brought hope with the team missing the playoffs by one point, this year was a complete disappointment. When it comes to the players, Dylan Cozens took a step back.
In the 79 games played this year, Cozens only scored 18 goals and recorded 29 assists for 47 points. Even though he finished top five in points on the Sabres, it was a regression season for the workhorse from Whitehorse. Last year, he scored 31 goals and registered 37 assists for 68 points in 81 games played.
With that being said, he did start to come around towards the end of the season. In the last five games of the 2023/2024 campaign, Dylan had 4 points in those 5 games (3 goals and 1 assist). During the Stanley Cup playoffs, there is an international hockey tournament that takes place every season, the IIHF World Championships.
For those of you who don't know what they are, it's similar to the Olympics. The only difference is, there are no medals. All the countries in the tournament compete for the IIHF World Championship Cup. So basically, it's the Olympics, but the winning team gets a trophy.
Cozens along with Buffalo defensemen Owen Power and Bowen Byram are representing the Sabres on Team Canada. Canada won in overtime today and it was Dylan who scored the game winning goal shorthanded as well as another goal in the game.
Dylan Cozens wins it for Canada in Overtime.🇨🇦💥 #MensWorlds #CANCZE @HockeyCanada @BuffaloSabres pic.twitter.com/iCO4pg6Oxe
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 21, 2024
With the goals he scored today, Cozens is the leading goal scorer in the tournament, as he has eight goals. Even though he is on the "fourth line" along with Michael Bunting and Andrew Mangiapane, he is having himself a good tournament.
Two more goals, including the overtime winner... your Player of the Game is Dylan Cozens! 🇨🇦
— Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) May 21, 2024
Deux autres buts, dont celui de la victoire en prolongation... votre Joueur du match est Dylan Cozens! 🇨🇦#MensWorlds | #MondialMasculin https://t.co/itODfUu6cS pic.twitter.com/IPsieDVtpo
Despite the results this year with Buffalo, hopefully his play on Team Canada turns into a bounce back 2024/2025 season. Dylan knows that he underperformed after getting a well-deserved contract extension during the 2022/2023 season. No one is hard on Cozens more than himself, as he is very accountable.
I do see him being named an alternate captain and I think he will have a better season next year. His play in the World Championships could be an indicator of what's coming when we see him in the blue and gold in October.