Player Discussion Dylan Cozens, C/RW, 2019 7th overall Part 2
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Kublakhan
Lets Go Buffalo !!!
Cozens seems to be playing a lot better since the start of the season. It seemed like early on he was trying to do too much on his own. At least once or twice a game he would try to pull a McDavid and dangle around 2 or 3 defenders when entering from the neutral zone like he was still playing in junior, glad to see he has mostly stopped doing that in favor of using his teammates to create space and get better zone entries.
GrierIsGod123
Registered User
Indeed. He's already elite at zone entries and will only get better. He may never be Eichel level where it's basically automatic, but I think he's a smart player that will only get better.
Between his skating ability entering the zone and Kreb's pinpoint passing, we'll have a nice varied attack from the Center position that teams will need to adjust to. That could create matchup nightmares for opposing teams. Then add Thompson and Mitts into that mix, and we really have some insane Center depth even without a truly elite game changer.
joshjull
Registered User
2 years time his raw totals will reflect this also surprised at how skilled he really is so far this year
ValJamesDuex
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joshjull
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Doug Prishpreed
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I'm not sure they make sense together on the same line since they both seem to be the transition fwd for their line. I think Don is keeping them apart so that both lines have some.
buffalowing88
Registered User
We can dig deeper and deeper into advanced stats to defend him but you don't see teams with players who are just like...scoring points at will doing this. Anaheim fans aren't going to need to dig deeper to find ways to justify Zegras. Soon, we won't have to with Krebs.
Advanced stats are fine and dandy and I like getting into them with the History boards here but I know what I see with Cozens and I see a guy who absolutely does drive the play and works his butt off but absolutely will not pan into a first line center.
But tell me again about how he leads the team in any metric and I'll say that we need to go ahead and move those goalposts farther.
Advanced stats are fine and dandy and I like getting into them with the History boards here but I know what I see with Cozens and I see a guy who absolutely does drive the play and works his butt off but absolutely will not pan into a first line center.
But tell me again about how he leads the team in any metric and I'll say that we need to go ahead and move those goalposts farther.
HaNotsri
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- Dec 29, 2013
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He's never been projected as a first liner but a good player that will win you games. If we can get two or three good two way centres we should be fine with our defense.
The Blunder Years
Registered User
You really never know though. I think people forgot how dominant he was in the WHL. Yeah he doesn’t do the Michigan like Zegras but he could potentially start to take over games at some point
Jim Bob
RIP RJ
joshjull
Registered User
You seem very annoyed positive things about Cozens are being posted in ……… the Cozens thread. Why?
As for the Zegras and #1 center…. No one brought that up.
But since you did its worth noting that Cozens and Zegras have very different skill sets and upsides at center. Their potential upside respective roles in a top 6 would be either a two way match up center (Cozens) or top offensive center (Zegras). Neither has the skill set to be the others upside potential.
Zman5778
Moderator
Not to derail things too badly -- but you're absolutely right that Cozens and Zegras profile to two completely different kinds of players. Krebs is the center we have that more closely profiles to Zegras, and Mitts profiles more closely to Zegras than he does to Cozens.
I've said it before, I'll say it again -- when Cozens is on, I see young Jeff Carter. Two way player, transition demon and more scorer than passer.
ORRFForever
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- Oct 29, 2018
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And he was giving full returns on any crap he took tonight. That crosscheck was definitely "return to sender" material.
ORRFForever
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- Oct 29, 2018
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Zman5778
Moderator
He's got that bit of dink to him that's going to make teams despise playing against him.
There was an element of controlled anger in how he played tonight. It suits him.
cybresabre
prōject positivity
he got tangled up with nelson in the sabres d zone and wasn't kind about it, nelson gave him a cup check from behind, coz served the dish cold with a cross check from behind as nelson was skating to the bench.
