Should He Stay or Should He Go Now?
Let’s get this part out of the way early. I do not want to trade away Dylan Cozens, unless the return haul is phenomenal for the Sabres. He has good size, a good heart and has great leadership potential. He is also one talented kid. Things have not gone his way since his 31 goal, 68 point season back in 2022-23. Like much of the team, he dropped off in 2023-24, even before Garnet Hathaway’s knockdown punch set him back. Cozens found life again over the summer, playing for team Canada in the 2024 World Championships. He scored 9 goals and 11 points in 10 games for his home county. He looked to be back on track after a disappointing season for Buffalo. Cut to the current installment of this season’s Sabres and Dylan’s stats are down even more this year. Let us examine why and analyze what we have with this player of ours.
Point 1: Home Grown Talent
The knock on Buffalo is the inability to attract good players for many reasons beyond the lack of palm trees. That is why it is crucial to draft well and develop our players properly. We haven’t really done that recently. Don’t get me wrong, we have good young talent but not enough diversity among the ranks. Too many players of similar size and skill sets. And almost every young player currently on the team was rushed to the NHL a season early. There is not much we can do about that now. Except maybe get better coaches in here to help make up for that oversight. More experience will obviously help these players too. Of course, patience is required for that and it’s running thin around these parts.
When it comes to Cozens, there is a reason so many teams are circling the Sabres for his services. Dylan is a little different from the other youthful players for Buffalo. He is the closest thing we have among the young talent to being a great all around player. Solid in all aspects of the game. Sure his offense is struggling right now but I don’t think many would doubt his heart. He is a tough kid too, playing with more passion than his teammates usually. He also has better size than Quinn and Peterka and Kulich and others. There are leadership qualities there too as Cozens has not been afraid to call out the team before. And we have seen his scoring talents already, he just needs to find his groove again.
At this point, we can not give up on such a valuable young hockey player. It would be short sighted. We all know the success stories of other former players traded away in the past 5 years. The Sabres need to stick it out with Cozens. The scoring will return with more experience and better talented line mates. If there is one young core piece at the forward position that Buffalo can’t afford to lose, it is him.
Point 2: Better Options to Trade
I realize people want to make some moves right now. But a knee jerk reaction here could really bite us in the ass. Also, do we want Kevyn Adams making these deals? He might be replaced before season’s end if things continue to go to hell. (some might say we are there already) Would it be better for the next GM to be making these decisions? No matter who or when, Cozens, along with Benson and probably Peterka should be off the trade table. (among home grown Buffalo forwards) The only absolute keeper for me in Rochester is Konsta Helenius. That means Kulich, Rosen, Ostlund and our 2025 draft picks are the only top futures I’m willing to part with. For NHL right now players. For immediate improvement. I rather not part with Kulich (especially after that Islanders game) but he is probably the most valuable of that bunch. Also, with the current Sabres collapse, our 1st round pick should carry some real trade weight. Deals can be made with these assets, along with a player off the roster.
No matter your thoughts on who/what is expendable, your list should not contain the name Dylan Cozens. His offense and his young career are highly probable to rebound nicely. It is even expected at this point which I will show in the next section.
Point 3: A Trend Among Young Players
Most young NHL players will struggle for 2 or 3 seasons earlier in their career. Even if they have strong rookie or second year success. It is a real trend. For whatever reason, many players take a step back for a few seasons before eventually taking off again. Look no further than Washington Capitals leading scorer Dylan Strome. The 27 year old has 38 points in 33 games this year. He put up 67 points last season and 65 the year before. He is playing his best hockey after age 25. Before that, he struggled through 3 straight years of under performing. His only strong season early on was his first full year with Chicago after Arizona moved him. Strome carried a “bust” label for a while there after 3 seasons of struggling but just look at him now. Time, experience and determination has finally made him a strong NHL player. Many years after being selected 3rd overall in his draft.
Another example, J.T. Miller for Vancouver. He had 56 points in his 4th NHL season, his highest total to that point. He then went 3 straight seasons not coming close to that number before suddenly breaking out with 72 points. He has since gone on to score more than 80 points a year in 3 of the next 4 seasons. He too did not become dominant until after he was over 25 years old.
Now let’s look at superstar Nathan MacKinnon. He scored 63 points in his rookie year and he looked to be unstoppable. Yet he went the next 3 seasons in the league not matching or eclipsing that point total. Then suddenly in year 5 he scored 97 points and has never looked back. MacKinnon was so talented he took off well before age 25. But he still managed that 3 year “setback” that so many seem to do.
I will finish this point with an even younger player than Cozens. Former number 2 overall pick Matty Beniers of Seattle. Beniers played 10 games at the end of the 2021-22 season and scored 9 points. Then he scored 57 points in his first full season with the Kraken. Looking good, right? Hold your horses. Beniers appears to be entering that fall off zone we have been discussing. Last year, Beniers dropped a full 20 points from the season before, scoring only 37. And this year? Only 18 points so far with nearly half the season gone. Two straight regression years for Matty. Should Seattle move this chump or show some patience with this young player? I think most of us, removed from the situation, would assume the highly talented Beniers will eventually rebound and find his way. And guess what? He almost assuredly will. I bet this guy is scoring 70 or 80 points a season in a few years.
Conclusion
There are many, many examples of players like this in the NHL right now. Hundreds of players who went through what Cozens is now. He is just 23 years old. Good things are ahead for Dylan, we can’t give up on him yet. His best hockey is yet to come. We just might be a few years away from Cozens routinely scoring 80 points a season. I sure hope the Sabres show the patience needed to hold on to this player. His take off window is approaching. Do not trade away a piece of the puzzle that another team needs to succeed. Cozens is our puzzle piece, don’t lose him Buffalo.