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

[Sens of Anarchy]

Bobby Ryan in his prime? ish? Tough guy to find a comparable for.
In the games I've seen he hasn't really stood out like I'd hoped. Blended into the play. Definitely agree he won't carry a top line but could score alot of goals with his shot/size/speed & willingness to use those attributes.

Terrible comparison. Bobby Ryan is a poor skater , who falls at least once a game on his own.

"He combines all aspects of skating — quickness, acceleration, balance and agility" - The Draft Analyst.

I do not know what the beefs are vs Cozens .. He is going to be very very good and a player to play, and be dominant in all situations.. He is much closer to Kopitar than he is to Ryan.. and I think he skates better.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Terrible comparison. Bobby Ryan is a poor skater , who falls at least once a game on his own.

"He combines all aspects of skating — quickness, acceleration, balance and agility" - The Draft Analyst.

I do not know what the beefs are vs Cozens .. He is going to be very very good and a player to play, and be dominant in all situations.. He is much closer to Kopitar than he is to Ryan.. and I think he skates better.

Ryan was a good player at his best. Didnt mean that as a knock. Didnt account for the skating tho

 

[landy92mack29]

Jeff Carter is who I've been comparing him to all year. The only real knock is he skates himself into coverage at times and doesn't have elite IQ like the other 3 whl guys .he's far from a dumb player and smarter than Podkolzin but to me that's the only real potential issue

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Ryan's skating makes that a really hard comparison in my opinion.

I really do like the Jeff Carter comparison above. Fast big bodied right handed center/wing with a terrific shot. When he is on he is a really tough checking assignment. I do think though he has trigger-man ability on the PP. I would love to see him and Zadina on different flanks in Detroit.

I'm afraid Detroit has played their way out of contention for him. Seems the consensus is becoming Podkolzin #3 and Cozens #4.

So unless all three lottery teams stay as the top 3 picks, or we get #3 and pass on Podkolzin. (Who we don't need at all)

 

[780il]

There's been hockey IQ issues brought up about Cozens on the Oilers board... What do you guys think? Is it a real thing or are we just tripping over there?

Cause on paper a big, fast, goal scoring right shot forward is exactly what we need. He'd be a great asset on the 2nd line and on the Ovi spot on the pp, but there's been concerns that he's the next Puljujarvi. All the tools, no toolbox.

 

[VikingAv]

I'm afraid Detroit has played their way out of contention for him. Seems the consensus is becoming Podkolzin #3 and Cozens #4.

So unless all three lottery teams stay as the top 3 picks, or we get #3 and pass on Podkolzin. (Who we don't need at all)

I'll consider it a massive surprise if those two are the 3rd/4th picks. One of them could be, but both? Seriously doubt it. #3-10-ish is a very close group in this draft.

There's still a very important part of the season left and if Dach keeps his play up throught the playoffs, he'll probaby be in contention for the 3rd spot as well. Not to mention both Turcotte and Byram are frequently mentioned that high. Heck, I wouldn't rule out one of Zegras/Krebs either.
And then there's individual team needs to factor in as well.

 

[780il]

I'll consider it a massive surprise if those two are the 3rd/4th picks. One of them could be, but both? Seriously doubt it. #3-10-ish is a very close group in this draft.

There's still a very important part of the season left and if Dach keeps his play up throught the playoffs, he'll probaby be in contention for the 3rd spot as well. Not to mention both Turcotte and Byram are frequently mentioned that high. Heck, I wouldn't rule out one of Zegras/Krebs either.
And then there's individual team needs to factor in as well.

Exactly. 3-10 is wide open imo. You don't know what your gonna get. It's all up to team needs and preference in that range.

 

[Daximus]

I'm afraid Detroit has played their way out of contention for him. Seems the consensus is becoming Podkolzin #3 and Cozens #4.

So unless all three lottery teams stay as the top 3 picks, or we get #3 and pass on Podkolzin. (Who we don't need at all)

There are still a lot of teams that have an aversion to Russians, especially Russians who have said they are staying in Russia to develop their game. Once they start earning them paychecks it can keep them there for awhile, even until they go UFA and then just come sign with whoever they want. It will all depend on the team drafting in those spots and team needs. Dach has been putting on just as much of a show as any of the top prospects in the playoffs so far if he keep that up he isn't out of contention. Plus there are still the U18's where Krebs and a few others will be playing a big role and could bump their stock.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

There are still a lot of teams that have an aversion to Russians, especially Russians who have said they are staying in Russia to develop their game. Once they start earning them paychecks it can keep them there for awhile, even until they go UFA and then just come sign with whoever they want. It will all depend on the team drafting in those spots and team needs. Dach has been putting on just as much of a show as any of the top prospects in the playoffs so far if he keep that up he isn't out of contention. Plus there are still the U18's where Krebs and a few others will be playing a big role and could bump their stock.

Nationality isn't my issue with Podkolzin at all, Detroit just doesn't need any more wingers.

Zadina/Mantha/AA/Bertuzzi fill out a pretty solid group of top 6 wingers. The problem is Detroit's center depth after Larkin. Veleno's really good, but by no means is he a safe bet to be an elite #2C.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I'm a big fan of his game, but this aside from the wingers, this is the player I want the Rangers to stay away from drafting. He fills nearly the exact same role that Zibanejad does.

 

[Daximus]

Nationality isn't my issue with Podkolzin at all, Detroit just doesn't need any more wingers.

Zadina/Mantha/AA/Bertuzzi fill out a pretty solid group of top 6 wingers. The problem is Detroit's center depth after Larkin. Veleno's really good, but by no means is he a safe bet to be an elite #2C.

There are plenty of C prospects in this draft Turcotte, Dach, Cozens, Krebs, Zegras, Newhook at the top end. Tomasino, McMicheal, Mastrosimone, Beecher, Topping, Burzan, Beckman, Alexandrov, Nikkanen, Newkirk, Blaisdell. If loading up on center prospects is the Wings game this is the draft to do it.

 

[landy92mack29]

There's been hockey IQ issues brought up about Cozens on the Oilers board... What do you guys think? Is it a real thing or are we just tripping over there?

Cause on paper a big, fast, goal scoring right shot forward is exactly what we need. He'd be a great asset on the 2nd line and on the Ovi spot on the pp, but there's been concerns that he's the next Puljujarvi. All the tools, no toolbox.

As I've said Cozens doesn't have Dach/Byram/Krebs level IQ but it's no where near Pool Party either. The top 10 guy this year to be warry of is Podkolzin. Cozens would be a great fit for the Oilers as he could play RW with McDavid or C the 2nd line. Benson would work really well with him also.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

There are plenty of C prospects in this draft Turcotte, Dach, Cozens, Krebs, Zegras, Newhook at the top end. Tomasino, McMicheal, Mastrosimone, Beecher, Topping, Burzan, Beckman, Alexandrov, Nikkanen, Newkirk, Blaisdell. If loading up on center prospects is the Wings game this is the draft to do it.

Yep, but you typically draft BPA and at #3, scouts seem to finally be coming together to agree that it's Podkolzin.

 

[780il]

As I've said Cozens doesn't have Dach/Byram/Krebs level IQ but it's no where near Pool Party either. The top 10 guy this year to be warry of is Podkolzin. Cozens would be a great fit for the Oilers as he could play RW with McDavid or C the 2nd line. Benson would work really well with him also.

Yeah I think I'd take Krebs and Dach over him since high IQ players work out well with us. But I still have Cozens at 8/9 on my draft list.

I don't want us to go anywhere near Podkolzin. He's gonna bust big time I think.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yeah I think I'd take Krebs and Dach over him since high IQ players work out well with us. But I still have Cozens at 8/9 on my draft list.

I don't want us to go anywhere near Podkolzin. He's gonna bust big time I think.

If the Oilers want to draft a finisher who can play with McDavid, wouldn't Cozens make the most sense? Lets say they draft Dach. How does that first PP unit operate? Is Dach even on that unit? Wouldn't he get in the way of McDavid? There aren't two pucks. These are all good options. You probably aren't going to go wrong with any of them, but I think Cozens appears like the best option for the Oilers.

Also, I think Oiler fans are putting too much stock into trying to make sure they stay away from drafting players they think could be similar in certain ways to Puljujarvi. I also think thats a foolish approach. More than anything, I think Puljujarvi has been developed very poorly. I was probably the biggest critic of him here during his draft year, but he's not a talentless player. He was very raw, and has been developed terribly by the Oilers. He had some tools, but his ability to put up points was always an issue. I don't even think it was completely about IQ. He lacked consistency in his playmaking and finishing. It makes you consider how much actual talent in those areas he had. He needed development in those areas. The Oilers shouldn't have rushed him to the NHL when he wasn't even a big point producer in Liiga.

Other than being big RHS who skate well, Cozens isn't that similar to Puljujarvi. They don't even play the same position. Cozens profiles as a center, unless that team already has two very good top six centers.

 

[780il]

If the Oilers want to draft a finisher who can play with McDavid, wouldn't Cozens make the most sense? Lets say they draft Dach. How does that first PP unit operate? Is Dach even on that unit? Wouldn't he get in the way of McDavid? There aren't two pucks. These are all good options. You probably aren't going to go wrong with any of them, but I think Cozens appears like the best option for the Oilers.

Also, I think Oiler fans are putting too much stock into trying to make sure they stay away from drafting players they think could be similar in certain ways to Puljujarvi. I also think thats a foolish approach. More than anything, I think Puljujarvi has been developed very poorly. I was probably the biggest critic of him here during his draft year, but he's not a talentless player. He was very raw, and has been developed terribly by the Oilers. He had some tools, but his ability to put up points was always an issue. I don't even think it was completely about IQ. He lacked consistency in his playmaking and finishing. It makes you consider how much actual talent in those areas he had. He needed development in those areas. The Oilers shouldn't have rushed him to the NHL when he wasn't even a big point producer in Liiga.

Other than being big RHS who skate well, Cozens isn't that similar to Puljujarvi. They don't even play the same position. Cozens profiles as a center, unless that team already has two very good top six centers.

Draisaitl is our finisher that plays with Mcdavid.

We need a right shot to play the Ovi spot on the pp and either 2c (with Nuge going to wing) or play on Nuge's wing.

Also, the reason I think we love Dach (apart from the hometown boy thing) is that he's so much like Leon Draisaitl. I think he's even ahead of Drai in things like skating at the same age. Having great success with a similar player pulls us toward him.

 

[Daximus]

Yep, but you typically draft BPA and at #3, scouts seem to finally be coming together to agree that it's Podkolzin.

Yeah but most of those rankings are saying they project him as the 3rd best player in the draft but by no means do all teams even come close to typically drafting BPA. Especially when Podkolzin has stated he will remain in Russia for the foreseeable future. I could see Colorado, Buffalo, Anaheim, Edmonton and probably even Vancouver steering clear of him. The Rangers don't seem to have an aversion to Russians. Minnesota is getting burned more and more with Kaprizov not coming over.

There will be a lot of teams that will have an aversion to taking Podkolzin because there is zero guarantee you get a permanent player out of a pick that high, and while there is zero guarantee you get a NHL calibre player that high, this is different because there is zero guarantee you get him on your team. I expect him to fall.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Jeff Carter is who I've been comparing him to all year. The only real knock is he skates himself into coverage at times and doesn't have elite IQ like the other 3 whl guys .he's far from a dumb player and smarter than Podkolzin but to me that's the only real potential issue

Idk that he's smarter than Podkolzin. But I agree he's not dumb.

Agree he doesn't always put himself in the best spots. To me its just his game is being big, moving fast, competing hard & trying to score.

I can see him as a winger alongside a play driving C. Or else a 2C. With his body he'll compete hard down low & he'll be able to score goals. Also like that he's a very committed defensive player.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

There's been hockey IQ issues brought up about Cozens on the Oilers board... What do you guys think? Is it a real thing or are we just tripping over there?

Cause on paper a big, fast, goal scoring right shot forward is exactly what we need. He'd be a great asset on the 2nd line and on the Ovi spot on the pp, but there's been concerns that he's the next Puljujarvi. All the tools, no toolbox.

Much better scorer & a better defensive player than Pulju IMO.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Our look at Cozens

Dylan Cozens Scouting Report: 2019 NHL Draft #6 - Last Word on Hockey

 

[57special]

Yep, but you typically draft BPA and at #3, scouts seem to finally be coming together to agree that it's Podkolzin.

yeah, but you know that he is signed for two years post draft at a minimum, and could well sign for more years after that in the KHL. The ELC limits his payout in the NHL, probably below what he would make in the KHL. What would be his incentive to go to the NHL?

Any NHL team would reasonably expect a physically developed, #3oa, wing like Pod to start playing NHL somewhere in the second year, if not sooner. The KHL option throws a monkey wrench into that timeline.

I suspect that he will fall down quite a bit, unless he convinces teams pre-draft that he will come over ASAP. GM's, especially ones of cellar dwelling teams, don't have time to wait extra years for a top prospect. They could lose their job during the interim.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

yeah, but you know that he is signed for two years post draft at a minimum, and could well sign for more years after that in the KHL. The ELC limits his payout in the NHL, probably below what he would make in the KHL. What would be his incentive to go to the NHL?

Any NHL team would reasonably expect a physically developed, #3oa, wing like Pod to start playing NHL somewhere in the second year, if not sooner. The KHL option throws a monkey wrench into that timeline.

I suspect that he will fall down quite a bit, unless he convinces teams pre-draft that he will come over ASAP. GM's, especially ones of cellar dwelling teams, don't have time to wait extra years for a top prospect. They could lose their job during the interim.

Personally I hope to see him go #3. Saves Detroit either Cozens or Byram.

 

[57special]

Personally I hope to see him go #3. Saves Detroit either Cozens or Byram.

I think Byram would be a great pick for DRW. Or one of the excellent C's. I even like Soderstrom.

 

[bobbythebrain]

If the Oilers want to draft a finisher who can play with McDavid, wouldn't Cozens make the most sense? Lets say they draft Dach. How does that first PP unit operate? Is Dach even on that unit? Wouldn't he get in the way of McDavid? There aren't two pucks. These are all good options. You probably aren't going to go wrong with any of them, but I think Cozens appears like the best option for the Oilers.

Also, I think Oiler fans are putting too much stock into trying to make sure they stay away from drafting players they think could be similar in certain ways to Puljujarvi. I also think thats a foolish approach. More than anything, I think Puljujarvi has been developed very poorly. I was probably the biggest critic of him here during his draft year, but he's not a talentless player. He was very raw, and has been developed terribly by the Oilers. He had some tools, but his ability to put up points was always an issue. I don't even think it was completely about IQ. He lacked consistency in his playmaking and finishing. It makes you consider how much actual talent in those areas he had. He needed development in those areas. The Oilers shouldn't have rushed him to the NHL when he wasn't even a big point producer in Liiga.

Other than being big RHS who skate well, Cozens isn't that similar to Puljujarvi. They don't even play the same position. Cozens profiles as a center, unless that team already has two very good top six centers.

Oiler fan here. Good post. My thoughts exactly. Cozens is the player I hope we take

 

[bl02]

I'm a big fan of his game, but this aside from the wingers, this is the player I want the Rangers to stay away from drafting. He fills nearly the exact same role that Zibanejad does.

Would you take Dach over him from a Rangers point of view? I know you like Turcotte so i'm assuming you would take Turcotte over both?