Total Season Stats: 18-29-47 in 79 Games
Age: 23
Contract Status: Signed through 2029-2030 at $7.1 million per year
In the middle of his third NHL season, Dylan Cozens signed a massive contract extension on February 7, 2023. This locked him up for the next seven seasons with a sizable cap hit of 7.1 million. It also gave him the third highest cap hit on the team behind only Jeff Skinner ($9 million) and Tage Thompson ($7.14 million). As with all large contracts, expectations rose for Cozens heading into this year. Unfortunately, he did not build upon his successful previous season.
Cozens was hoping to match or surpass his breakout 2022-2023 season where he scored 31 goals and finished with 68 points in 81 games. However, his follow up performance left much to be desired. He struggled to score for long stretches of the season. He had a 20-game stretch from October 29 to December 13 where he only scored one goal. His longest goal-less stretch was from March 16 to April 9 (12 games). This is simply not good enough from a #2 center.
A few factors seemed to contribute to his struggles. The entire Sabres’ offense looked off for the first half of the season. The coaching staff put increased emphasis on defensive assignments and the offense subsequently suffered. Additionally, one of Cozens’ top linemates from last season, Jack Quinn, was injured for most of this year. Finally, the increased pressure from the contract and playoff expectations looked to weigh on him. He was one of the most snake-bitten Sabres in a disappointing year for their offense. Cozens said it best himself when speaking to Buffalo News Reporter Lance Lysowski in December:
Despite his struggles this season, Cozens showed flashes of what made Sabres management sign him long term. His best statistical stretch of play came right before the all-star break. He had 7 points in the 4 games leading up to the break. He also finished the year with a two-goal, three-point performance against Tampa Bay. He took that momentum into the World Championships where he led the tournament with 9 goals in 10 games for team Canada.
Overall, this was a disappointing year for Cozens. Hopefully, the momentum from his great showing at the World Championships will propel him to a productive and critical offseason. Time will tell how he will fit in Lindy Ruff’s scheme, but Cozens’ determination, intensity, and skill make him tailor-made for a coach like Ruff. All signs point to a rebound next season that can erase the memory of this past year.
Season Grade: C-