Expectations for Dylan Cozens next year (2022-23)?

[GASabresIUFAN]

I don’t think anyone here dislikes Dylan Cozens.  Everyone seems to like Dylan the leader and Dylan the person.  However, I must admit I am somewhat disappointed with Dylan the NHL player.  While he improved , O thought he and Mitts would be the break outs last year instead of Thompson and the return of Skinner.

Admittedly he was rushed to the NHL because of the pandemic and made substantial strides in year two becoming a nearly 40 pt player.  On the positives his points, mostly scored 5 on 5, increased by nearly 50% and his takeaways increased dramatically.  

Still I am left wanting more.  For a 6’3 guy he isn’t very physical and his shooting, to put it kindly, needs work on accuracy.  Also if he is destined to be our two way center long-term he also needs to get better in the faceoff circle.  He also still disappears in too many games.

The good news is that he is still only 21 (22 in February).  Kevin Fiala broke out at 21 with his first 20 goal season while with the Preds.  I hope to see similar progress from Dylan this coming season. 

One decision that might help Dylan significantly is management (KA & especially DG) deciding if he is a center or winger.  With TnT, Mitts, Krebs, Girgensons and even Asplund on the roster, DG could give Dylan a long look on the wing, maybe even with Thompson and Skinner.  In all honesty Dylan seemed much more like the player I remembered at the World Jrs playing on the wing for Canada at this year’s World Championships.   Adding Cozens to our top line would help that line defensively, while opening offensive opportunities for him. 

If he ends up on wing with either Mitts or Thompson, I can see him scoring 20+ and passing 55 points.  If DG sticks him on a D first line centering Asplund and KO, I don’t think he gets to either 20 goals or 50 points, maybe something more like 17 and 30 for 47 pts.

Edited July 18, 2022 by GASabresIUFAN

[dudacek]

He’s going to break out either this year or next with 60 points. Most likely breakout player on the team, IMO.

I think they’ve been grooming him as their all-situations matchup centre and I suspect he will stay in the middle.

[LGR4GM]

At even strength, he went from 1.4pt/60 to 1.6pts/60 so he's got some work to do. I think a line of Asplund - Cozens - someone else would be very good. 

I'd expect 50pts for Cozens as reasonable. Typically the 3rd year is when you see a jump for players but we'll see. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

2nd line centre

65+ points

/thread

😎

[ddaryl]

2 years in and he made a nice jump from year 1 to year 2. I think he'll show another jump this year especially being surrounded by a team that's getting better as a whole.

25 G - 35 A, 2nd line C

Edited July 18, 2022 by ddaryl

[aristocrat]

Needs better wingers to play with.  He played well with quinn down the stretch so hope they get some chemistry next year. 

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

I put him down as 3C because Mitts came out of camp as the #1 center last season before going down with an injury in game 1.  Right now I expect Mitts to come back and win the 1C or 2C role, with Tage in the other spot, pushing Cozens to 3C. One of many reasons camp will be interesting to watch this year...

[Weave]

He’ll get the less flashy wingers and won’t get 2nd lone center points, but his continued development will be obvious.

[Taro T]

Really expecting him to get comparable ice time to Mittelstadt, but with more of a defensive focus to his usage than Mitts.

If Asplund ends up on his line, he's definitely getting defensive usage; if Rasmus the F ends up on Mitts line, expect the usage of the 2 isn't just comparable but essentially identical. 

Figure regardless of their W's that Mitts will have more points, but both will be big contributors.

Don't see him sliding to W unless Okposo gets injured.

[Drag0nDan]

i think Hino stays with cozens, and mitts gets VO or Tuch (I'd lean tuch).  That will generally result in a few more points as both VO and Tuch score more points.  I think from a gameplay standpoint though - quinn on the cozens line makes a lot of sense.  I'd probably run asplund with girgs and okposo, and krebs with mitts and tuch.

Edited July 18, 2022 by Drag0nDan

[Drag0nDan]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

At even strength, he went from 1.4pt/60 to 1.6pts/60 so he's got some work to do. I think a line of Asplund - Cozens - someone else would be very good. 

I'd expect 50pts for Cozens as reasonable. Typically the 3rd year is when you see a jump for players but we'll see. 

I'm hoping he figures out that hybrid 2-way forward this year.  Need that FO% to jump up a lot, and to win more important draws with eakin gone.

As for points, i'd be disappointed if its sub-50, and sub-20 goals.  

[Curt]

I selected 3rd line C and the 47-55 point one.

In reality I think he will be in a 2/3 line C role with plenty of shut down responsibilities, and I think he will put up something in the 45-50 point range, prorated for 82 games.

[ctk232]

3 hours ago, aristocrat said:

Needs better wingers to play with.  He played well with quinn down the stretch so hope they get some chemistry next year. 

Agreed - I’d love to see what the kid can do with better wingers in a year three development trajectory. Even if it’s only for stretches at a time.

Two things that stood out to me at least from last season was his expanded playmaking vision, and advanced pass timing/accuracy when placed with faster-pace wingers. Still has plenty of room to grow and progress aspects of his game, but would like to see what he does with guys like Tuch or Quinn. Shoot if all goes well in development terms, a future Peterka/Cozens/Quinn line would be rull fun to watch. 

[Derrico]

He looked great at the Worlds.  I think he breaks out sooner than later.

[Digger]

I think Mittelstadt and Cozens fight it out as 2nd line centers 2A / 2B.  I like the idea of him playing with Krebs and Quinn or Peterka.

Mittelstadt with Olofsson and Peterka or Quinn.

Hopefully the boys all stay healthy this year.  Lots of potential on all the lines.

[GASabresIUFAN]

57 minutes ago, Derrico said:

He looked great at the Worlds.  I think he breaks out sooner than later.

as a winger.

[inkman]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

as a winger.

Some of these guys are gonna end up there regardless.  Maybe he becomes our Patrick Sharp, toggling between forward spots depending on team need. 

[K-9]

Hard for me to predict his offensive output because he wants/demands the D assignment vs. top opposing players and Granato is more than willing to let him do that. 

[Weave]

50 minutes ago, inkman said:

Some of these guys are gonna end up there regardless.  Maybe he becomes our Patrick Sharp, toggling between forward spots depending on team need. 

Did I hear Patrick Sharp?

[GoPuckYourself]

I think he'll be our 2nd line C, put him with better wingers (Quinn/Skinner) and watch him become something special imo. I still hope Middlestadt turns into a solid C but I don't like much of what I've seen from him so far, I still hold out hope which is all you can do at this point.

[Huckleberry]

20+30 would be my expectations, but he might surprise.   

[SwampD]

8 hours ago, dudacek said:

He’s going to break out either this year or next with 60 points. Most likely breakout player on the team, IMO.

I think they’ve been grooming him as their all-situations matchup centre and I suspect he will stay in the middle.

If Cozens breaks out this year, it will be as a winger.

My breakout player this year is Mitts.

[nfreeman]

I think Cozens will get the 2nd most ES minutes out of the centers, will put up about 46 pts and will usually play with KO, assuming KO still has gas in the tank (as he did last year).  LW on that line could be a revolving door and could be situational — Krebs, VO, JJP, Zemgus and Asplund are all candidates.   

[PerreaultForever]

10 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I don’t think anyone here dislikes Dylan Cozens.  Everyone seems to like Dylan the leader and Dylan the person.  However, I must admit I am somewhat disappointed with Dylan the NHL player.  While he improved , O thought he and Mitts would be the break outs last year instead of Thompson and the return of Skinner.

Tage breaks out at the age of 23. Dylan is 21. Just saying. 

I still believe Cozens would make a better winger rather than center so maybe Granato needs to reverse the Thompson move here and put Dylan on the wing. But we shall see. I still think he will be better, just a question of is it this year or next. 

[PickaPecaPickles]

14 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I don’t think anyone here dislikes Dylan Cozens.  Everyone seems to like Dylan the leader and Dylan the person.  However, I must admit I am somewhat disappointed with Dylan the NHL player.  While he improved , O thought he and Mitts would be the break outs last year instead of Thompson and the return of Skinner.

Admittedly he was rushed to the NHL because of the pandemic and made substantial strides in year two becoming a nearly 40 pt player.  On the positives his points, mostly scored 5 on 5, increased by nearly 50% and his takeaways increased dramatically.  

Still I am left wanting more.  For a 6’3 guy he isn’t very physical and his shooting, to put it kindly, needs work on accuracy.  Also if he is destined to be our two way center long-term he also needs to get better in the faceoff circle.  He also still disappears in too many games.

The good news is that he is still only 21 (22 in February).  Kevin Fiala broke out at 21 with his first 20 goal season while with the Preds.  I hope to see similar progress from Dylan this coming season. 

One decision that might help Dylan significantly is management (KA & especially DG) deciding if he is a center or winger.  With TnT, Mitts, Krebs, Girgensons and even Asplund on the roster, DG could give Dylan a long look on the wing, maybe even with Thompson and Skinner.  In all honesty Dylan seemed much more like the player I remembered at the World Jrs playing on the wing for Canada at this year’s World Championships.   Adding Cozens to our top line would help that line defensively, while opening offensive opportunities for him. 

If he ends up on wing with either Mitts or Thompson, I can see him scoring 20+ and passing 55 points.  If DG sticks him on a D first line centering Asplund and KO, I don’t think he gets to either 20 goals or 50 points, maybe something more like 17 and 30 for 47 pts.

Two related points above suggest a little more patience with Cozens.

Fiala had time to "develop", playing almost two full seasons in the AHL, whereas (as you mention) Cozens essentially went straight to the NHL--he was rushed.  Given his drive and attitude, he could break out this year, but my expectations are for incremental improvement.