Cozens Critical Of Himself For Slow Start

Michael Augello

Dec 4, 2023, 21:39

Michael Augello

Dec 4, 2023, 21:39

Sabres center has 4 goals in 23 games in the first year of a seven-year contract extension

Cozens Critical Of Himself For Slow Start

Part of the Buffalo Sabres proactive plan to get their young core players locked up early on long-term extensions was the signing of center Dylan Cozens to a seven-year, $49.7 million contract last February.

That deal looked like a smart bet for Buffalo, as the 2019 seventh overall pick scored a career-high 68 points (31 goals, 37 assists) playing second-line center behind Tage Thompson, but with Thompson out with a hand injury and more of a focus on him, the 22-year-old has just four goals in 23 games for the offensively-starved Sabres.

In the 2-1 loss to Nashville on Sunday, Cozens led the Sabres (along with Jeff Skinner) with seven shots on goal, but could not hit the mark.

"I've got to score (on) one of those one of those chances for sure. I get paid a lot of money to score goals and I'm not doing that right now. Today, I had those chances, I was getting set up left and right and I couldn't find it back the net, so I feel like this game's a little bit on me." Cozens said. "There's been times I've lacked a little bit of confidence, just based off a few things and I just need to skate with the puck with speed and and be willing to shoot and not always try to make a perfect play. Sometimes just getting it in behind and focusing on the gritty things and the things you don't want to do."

It has been a frustrating season for the native of the Yukon Territory, who suffered a broken nose in a fight with Philadelphia’s Garnet Hathaway last month and being forced to wear a full face mask for a few weeks. Cozens called out himself and his teammates for being soft after a one-sided loss to Carolina on Saturday, but head coach Don Granato thinks the young center is starting to come out of his struggles.

"(He had) another level of determination and directness. He used his feet better, he's skated more, he's pressured more, and thought less. My assessment is he is overthinking, he's been playing very frustrated." Granato said. "I thought he's used his legs and feet much better. Speed, quickness, jumped on pucks, it got him to the right place for several quality chances and just didn't have the finish, but it created a lot."