C Dylan Cozens - Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL (2019, 7th, BUF)

[GOALOFSSON]

1 + 3 tonight

 

[GOALOFSSON]

Seems to be doing well

 

[EichHart]

Currently leading the WHL in scoring by 3 with 20G 26A and 46 Pts. Has anyone watched him play, how has he looked?

 

[Team Cozens]

So impressed with Cozens overall speed and energy. Might have been the 3rd best player on the ice today behind Lafreniere and Hayton.

 

[MBH]

So impressed with Cozens overall speed and energy. Might have been the 3rd best player on the ice today behind Lafreniere and Hayton.

He was the guy I wanted Yzerman to draft.
A big, skilled righthanded center...
I like Seider, but no idea why he reached for him when Cozens was there.

 

[buffalosabrebills]

How has he been for Canada? Haven’t been able to watch most games.

 

[Wintersun]

How has he been for Canada? Haven’t been able to watch most games.

He has been fine. Don't really see high-end offensive talent but he should have no trouble becoming a middle 6 NHLer soon.

 

[canadiantirefire]

How has he been for Canada? Haven’t been able to watch most games.

His skating stands out. Not really anything else. Makes some good plays in transition but haven’t noticed him on offense.

 

[AvsGuy]

Nolan Patrick 2.0

@ me down the road if I'm wrong

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Hasn't been very noticeable at all. Was expecting more.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He’ll be a good 2C who can do some of everything and has dynamic speed for a bigger center. He’s not flashy. His thread is not going to get a lot of comments because he’s not an exciting pick, but I think the Sabres made a good pick here.

The Sabres draft well. If they developed players better, they’d be a lot better of a team.

 

[57special]

He has been noticeable, to me. He is very fast, competitive, and willing to engage opponents. Reasonably good with the puck, and makes sound, if not brilliant, decisions. Think he has a floor as a 3C, ceiling as a 2C, which makes him perfect for BUF.
Having two great skaters like he and Eichel down the middle is pretty good.

Don't really have a read on the quality of his shot, though. Once he puts on a few pounds he will be even more effective. Looks like a Greyhound out there.

 

[Team Cozens]

He has been noticeable, to me. He is very fast, competitive, and willing to engage opponents. Reasonably good with the puck, and makes sound, if not brilliant, decisions. Think he has a floor as a 3C, ceiling as a 2C, which makes him perfect for BUF.
Having two great skaters like he and Eichel down the middle is pretty good.

Don't really have a read on the quality of his shot, though. Once he puts on a few pounds he will be even more effective. Looks like a Greyhound out there.

Nice 4 point game today for Cozens. 6 points in the tournament and could have had another 2 assists in the first game if not for some funny IIHF intricacies. Really like the way he hounds down and steals the puck. Size. Speed. Potential future 2C for sure.

 

[Get North]

He has more to give offensively even if he is not showing it. His shot catches goaltenders and he's always coming at you with a lot of speed. Regardless of where he plays in your line-up, he generates positive shifts and can carry a line despite his wingers. You won't see that in the WJC this year, maybe next year as a 19 year old if he isn't in the NHL.

 

[Intangir]

He has more to give offensively even if he is not showing it. His shot catches goaltenders and he's always coming at you with a lot of speed. Regardless of where he plays in your line-up, he generates positive shifts and can carry a line despite his wingers. You won't see that in the WJC this year, maybe next year as a 19 year old if he isn't in the NHL.

I've watched Cozens in the WJC, the WHL this season, the U-18 last year, the WHL last year, and the same thing comes to mind. He's a strong possession center and I like his size, his athleticism, his arsenal of shots is nice too, he usually competes pretty hard, but I'm just not a fan of his hockey sense and what it could mean for his high-end potential in the big league.

 

[Team Cozens]

I've watched Cozens in the WJC, the WHL this season, the U-18 last year, the WHL last year, and the same thing comes to mind. He's a strong possession center and I like his size, his athleticism, his arsenal of shots is nice too, he usually competes pretty hard, but I'm just not a fan of his hockey sense and what it could mean for his high-end potential in the big league.

While you may or may not be right, the fact that the Sabres need Cozens to grow into a 60 point, 200 foot 2C behind Eichel probably fits perfectly with his ceiling. His size, speed and "Workhorse from Whitehorse" style are ideal.

 

[cowgirlcath]

He is really great on the PP. Nice speed and uses his size very well to make an impact all over the ice. Gonna be a solid player for Buffalo.

 

[Intangir]

While you may or may not be right, the fact that the Sabres need Cozens to grow into a 60 point, 200 foot 2C behind Eichel probably fits perfectly with his ceiling. His size, speed and "Workhorse from Whitehorse" style are ideal.

We'll see. I'm often wrong so this could be just another one of those mistakes of judgement but I really don't think Cozens will be a consistent 60-points player in the NHL.

As it stands now, while he's strong driving possession and that usually means that you'll outscore the opposition and obviously helps your defense a lot indirectly, Cozens is average at best at this point in time to my eyes while evaluating only his ability to defend against and react to the other team's offense. There is of course more room for growth and good coaching should come a long way helping him in that regard, but it is entirely possible that Cozens ends up a player that is physical and drives possession but is pretty vanilla defensively otherwise.

It is important that we also remember that 60 points as a strong 200-foot center is pretty much #1C territory for most teams, it's basically Ryan O'Reilly without his career year last year, so I'd lower my expectations a smidge. I could see Cozens thriving as a good 50-point forward in the NHL if things go well, which is still pretty good.

As a pro, I see Cozens a bit as a ''prototypical winger that plays center'' and think he could be more successful on the wing in the pros than on C if he adapted his game.

 

[Team Cozens]

We'll see. I'm often wrong so this could be just another one of those mistakes of judgement but I really don't think Cozens will be a consistent 60-points player in the NHL.

As it stands right now, while he's really strong driving possession and that usually means that you'll outscore the opposition and obviously helps your defense a lot indirectly, Cozens is average at best right now to my eyes while evaluating only his ability to defend against and react to the other team's offense. There is of course more room for growth and good coaching should come a long way helping him in that regard, but it is entirely possible that Cozens ends up a player that is physical and drives possession but is pretty vanilla defensively otherwise.

It is important that we also remember that 60 points as a strong 200-foot center is pretty much #1C territory for most teams, it's basically Ryan O'Reilly without his career year last year, so I'd lower my expectations a smidge. I could see Cozens thriving as a good 50-point forward in the NHL if things go well, which is still pretty good.

As a pro, I see Cozens a bit as a ''prototypical winger that plays center'' and think he could be more successful on the wing in the pros than on C if he adapted his game.

I have wondered about the wing for Cozens as well but anytime you’ve got a chance to have a right shot, fast, 6’3 Center.... you develop it to make it work. Eichel has turned into a 100 point 1C so I take a 50-60 point 2C all day long.

 

[Orange Fanta]

I have wondered about the wing for Cozens as well but anytime you’ve got a chance to have a right shot, fast, 6’3 Center.... you develop it to make it work. Eichel has turned into a 100 point 1C so I take a 50-60 point 2C all day long.

This is my problem with him, I would like to see him develope into a shutdown match-up 30-30 2c (his ceiling i believe) or eichel's perfect wing man with that size, speed, shot and compete both are outcomes I'd be ecstatic for.

 

[Team Cozens]

14 points in 5 games since returning from the WJC.

 

[OKR]

Kinda interesting to see that pre-draft most of the scouts were talking about Kirby Dach and Cozens as opposites with Dach being the all-around player and Cozens the offensive threat, and this thread saying mostly opposite

 

[Dominance]

Kinda interesting to see that pre-draft most of the scouts were talking about Kirby Dach and Cozens as opposites with Dach being the all-around player and Cozens the offensive threat, and this thread saying mostly opposite

Absolutely the polar opposite of what I recall.

 

[93LEAFS]

Kinda interesting to see that pre-draft most of the scouts were talking about Kirby Dach and Cozens as opposites with Dach being the all-around player and Cozens the offensive threat, and this thread saying mostly opposite

Huh? I don't know what you were reading. Cozens was considered a better skater and more explosive, but Dach was always considered to have high-end offensive potential, it is just his shift to shift or game to game effort was questionable.

 

[OKR]

Absolutely the polar opposite of what I recall.

After googleing it more it seems there was a quite split on his scouting reports, i found about 50/50 reports and draft profiles saying he is the offensive one of them and other half saying the opposite, quite weird really.