GDT: Preseason: Buffalo Sabres @ Toronto Maple Leafs 7PM 9.20.2019

[SabresSharks]

If he earns it, I'd be happy to see Cozens play for 9, but he better be absolutely lights-out if he sticks past that. The last thing this franchise needs is another rushed forward prospect.

 

[Howie Hodge]

I assume it's our Varsity at Home vs Toronto's JV's tomorrow night....

 

[Buffaloed]

Anybody think Cozens could make this squad? He looks good.

I think he'll make the Sabres for at least a 10 game tryout. Unless he can impress playing on a scoring line, he should be sent back to juniors. I don't want him to waste a year of offensive skills development time playing on the 3rd or 4th line.
Dylan Cozens keeps raising eyebrows as Sabres fall to Leafs
"It's interesting how somebody with that much skill and personality is able to adjust in such a short period of time," said coach Ralph Krueger. "He started camp a little tentative and hesitant, and the last few days we noticed it already in practice that he was opening up a little bit and just playing his game. Tonight, we saw a confirmation of that and what his ability is. The speed and some of the situations were exciting for us to watch."

 

[CrazyPsycho]

I hate that Cozens might make the team, but we have nowhere near enough scoring forwards. I fear another rush job, he certainly is more ready physically than Mitts. They cant talk about open competition and then send him down, he might have been the best forward tonight thru 2 periods.

 

[OkimLom]

Anybody think Cozens could make this squad? He looks good.

Could he beat guys for a roster spot this season, I think so. SHOULD he be in Buffalo, I don’t think so.

 

[Abraham de Lacy]

Any word on the lineup for Saturdays game? I might actually force myself to stay awake to see it (it is on at 1am my time).

 

[Chainshot]

I’ve seen enough of Mittelstadt to know he doesn’t deserve a roster spot.

Neither does Okposo for that matter.

We need hungry wolves.

Hungry wolves? Are you feeding players to them? I would suggest pigs, in a Bricktop moment.

 

[truthbluth]

Clearly an unpopular opinion. If Cozens can hang with the big guys, he should. What happened to Grigo should be a cautionary tale about what happens when a prospect clearly isn’t ready. It doesn’t mean that prospects are never ready. That said, from what I’ve seen, I think he probably needs to work on staying on his skates along the boards, but otherwise I’ve been super pleased with what I’ve seen. His skill seems to translate much better than I thought it would.

 

[Butt Ox]

Hungry wolves? Are you feeding players to them? I would suggest pigs, in a Bricktop moment.

Wolves...pigs....

Do ya like dags?

 

[Chainshot]

Interesting to look at the stat-nics tweets about last night. Ruotsalainen from a stat side did well.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

Clearly an unpopular opinion. If Cozens can hang with the big guys, he should. What happened to Grigo should be a cautionary tale about what happens when a prospect clearly isn’t ready. It doesn’t mean that prospects are never ready. That said, from what I’ve seen, I think he probably needs to work on staying on his skates along the boards, but otherwise I’ve been super pleased with what I’ve seen. His skill seems to translate much better than I thought it would.

I always loved Couzens game.Speed, size, already good defensively.I think if he is good enough keep him.I do think he needs to get stronger weight wise.As long as he plays regularly.Otherwise back to junior to dominate.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I'm sticking with my thoughts on Cozens: he was drafted to be the Sabres version of Jordan Staal. I see a future two-way center who can play against top lines. He's got some flaws, and he's more of a Jeff Carter shoot-first center. But he can fix them, and having a shoot first 3C isn't a problem. He's fast, big, works hard, and plays a 200 foot game. He'll improve his positioning, etc.

I think he gets 9 games, goes back to the W, and is with the Sabres next season.

 

[Sabreality]

Interesting to look at the stat-nics tweets about last night. Ruotsalainen from a stat side did well.

yep, I think he has a better hockey sense/IQ than he's getting credit for. Mentioned last night how well he thinks the game, do we know for certain if its only Buffalo or Ilves this year? could he opt out if they want him in Rochester, cause I think he has a chance to see time in Buffalo after some play in the AHL.

 

[Jagemon]

yep, I think he has a better hockey sense/IQ than he's getting credit for. Mentioned last night how well he thinks the game, do we know for certain if its only Buffalo or Ilves this year? could he opt out if they want him in Rochester, cause I think he has a chance to see time in Buffalo after some play in the AHL.

My understanding is that it is either Ilves or Sabres. No Rochester for Ruotsalainen as per his contract.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Cozens is going to be our future 2C, you guys can continue to pine on your hopes for Mittlestadt but soon Mittlestadt will be an after thought for the center position. Either he will be relegated to the 3C or we trade him to patch holes.

Mittlestadt has never looked as good as Cozens has in pre season which is a already a telling sign on Mittlestadt.

 

[Team Cozens]

Cozens is going to be our future 2C, you guys can continue to pine on your hopes for Mittlestadt but soon Mittlestadt will be an after thought for the center position. Either he will be relegated to the 3C or we trade him to patch holes.

Mittlestadt has never looked as good as Cozens has in pre season which is a already a telling sign on Mittlestadt.

Just rewatched some of last nights game and ya, Cozens is already ahead of Mittelstadt. His skating is such a weapon. Really impressed with Tage and Lazar as well.

 

[BowieSabresFan]

Cozens is going to be our future 2C, you guys can continue to pine on your hopes for Mittlestadt but soon Mittlestadt will be an after thought for the center position. Either he will be relegated to the 3C or we trade him to patch holes.

Mittlestadt has never looked as good as Cozens has in pre season which is a already a telling sign on Mittlestadt.

I dunno, I sort of hope they both work out.

It’s not a matter of pining our hopes on one or the other. You sort of sound like you’re happy that Mittlestadt might not work out.

 

[Icejoker]

About Ruotsalainen and Ilves , the team has a bad liiga start 5 losses and the other team from same city 5 wins.

 

[Sabre the Win]

I dunno, I sort of hope they both work out.

It’s not a matter of pining our hopes on one or the other. You sort of sound like you’re happy that Mittlestadt might not work out.

No, I'm just confident he wont work at center and im hardly ever wrong about players. I've always said Mittlestadt will carve a career out on the wing in the NHL. What I'm pissed about is management not doing anything for an interim 2C and riding on the Hope's of Mittlestadt.

 

[BowieSabresFan]

No, I'm just confident he wont work at center and im hardly ever wrong about players. I've always said Mittlestadt will carve a career out on the wing in the NHL. What I'm pissed about is management not doing anything for an interim 2C and riding on the Hope's of Mittlestadt.

That’s hardly what you conveyed in your post I quoted. You seemed too happy/smug about being right as you perceive things even though it doesn’t necessarily make the team better.

And I should point out that he’s not old enough to drink yet.

 

[Moskau]

Cozens has looked better in training camp than Mittelstadt, Nylander or even Reinhart ever did. He does need to make better decisions in the offensive zone from the blue line to about the face-off circle and on the rush. With that said, he's very slight of frame. You would never think watching him that he's even close to 6'3". He and Matthews are the same height and it was comical how much bigger Auston looked.

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

I assume it's our Varsity at Home vs Toronto's JV's tomorrow night....

Tavares and Marner are playing.

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

Happy to hear some of you all coming around on Cozens. I’ve been one of the bigger mouths in calling Mitts out and albeit, I didn’t watch more than half of yesterday’s game, Mitts looked much better to me. Hope he and Cozens go again today to continue to see improvements and gains of confidence.

 

[slip]

After what I saw last night, I'm pretty confident both Cozens and Mitts will be solid contributors to the team for many years to come.

 

[sufferer]

Using the same thread for both games?