BUFFALO – History says Dylan Cozens’ position change will be temporary. Shifting him from center to right wing is a slump-busting move by Sabres coach Lindy Ruff.
Centers, of course, are always at a premium and Cozens, 23, has been entrenched as the Sabres’ second-line pivot for years. It’s just that 10 games into the season, having scored zero goals, he’s in a rut.
Ruff needs to ignite the Yukon native, so in Thursday’s practice he switched him to the wing alongside center Ryan McLeod and Jordan Greenway. Perhaps Cozens will play there for a game or two, or maybe he will receive a longer look.
Still, Cozens will likely be shifted back his natural position in the near future. Then again, if he catches fire on the wing, Ruff could be enticed to leave him there.
Never say never, right?
“Well, if he scores four off the wing, it’d be a permanent thing,” Ruff joked after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the New York Islanders in KeyBank Center. “Even if he scores a couple.”
These days, Cozens and winger Jack Quinn, his usual linemate, would just like one goal. Quinn has officially recorded one, an empty-netter last week.
Two-thirds of the Sabres’ regular second line hasn’t beaten a goalie this year. That’s why in addition to moving Cozens, Ruff shifted Quinn to right wing alongside center Peyton Krebs and Jason Zucker.
At least Cozens, who scored 31 goals two seasons ago and 18 last year, is generating offense. Quinn, a healthy scratch once, has mustered just 10 shots in nine games.
Cozens has pumped 32 shots on goal this season, the NHL’s highest total among goalless forwards entering Thursday’s games. That shot total ranked 27th among forwards.
“Just trying to look at the positives and the positives are the chances that I’ve been getting,” Cozens said of how he’s handling his slump. “Eventually, over time those will start going in as they add up. I know I gotta be a lot better. I haven’t been nearly as good as I can be and should be.”
Ruff believes moving Cozens, a right-handed shot, will give him less responsibility and offer him a better opportunity to move freely alongside McLeod, a lefty.
“Sometimes a player just gets so consumed with lack of production and then maybe gets locked into as your centerman trying to play better defensively,” he said. “Trying to free him up to get him a few more opportunities. You get him with a left-handed centerman that can get him the puck and possibly use his speed.
“So I think we’re (going) try to get both him and Jack and see if it works, and get us a little bit more offense and get both those guys going.”
Cozens welcomes the change and a chance to showcase more of his outside speed.
“That’s one of the most dangerous things about my game,” Cozens said. “(I) should get more looks with that and then I think it just offers more shots off the rush.”
You must go back to 2020-21, Cozens’ rookie season, to find the last time he spent any notable time at the wing in the NHL. That was under former coach Ralph Krueger. When Don Granato replaced Krueger, Cozens moved back to the middle.
“I don’t even remember the last time, really,” Cozens said. “So, yeah, it’s been a while.”
Cozens also scored eight goals in seven games as a winger with Team Canada at the 2021 World Championship.
Meanwhile, Quinn, 23, might still be feeling the effects of battling back from two significant injuries – a torn left Achilles tendon and a different injury to the same leg – last season.
While he made it back from both – he scored nine goals and 19 points in 27 games – it takes time to fully recover.
“We all have to remember that he basically missed a year of hockey,” said Sabres” assistant coach Seth Appert, who coached Quinn with the Rochester Americans. “… It just doesn’t happen like that. When you miss that level of time, you’re timing, your awareness, your spacial awareness (are all off).”
Quinn said he needs “a little more in every category.”
“It’s a little frustrating, the lack of production and stuff, would like to get it going a bit more,” he said. “But I feel good out there. I feel like I’m skating well. So keep working on my game.”
Appert has no doubt Quinn will regain his slick form.
“I know that young man, I know it exists inside of him and I know what he’s made of,” he said. “And I have the utmost belief that he’s going to pull through the adversity he’s going through right now because of the way he attacks going about his business.”
Notes: Sabres winger Zach Benson, out the last three games with a lower-body injury, skated on his own Thursday. “He had a good day today,” Ruff said. “… So his first real hard day back on the ice. So encouraged he can probably join us soon.” … Sabres rookie Jiri Kulich rotated in on the fourth line during Thursday’s practice and did not have a spot on the power play, meaning he could be a healthy scratch tonight for the second straight game. … The Amerks on Thursday announced former Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, who spent parts of his first three pro seasons in Rochester, will be inducted into the team’s hall of fame April 11. … The Sabres, despite weak offensive production from Cozens and Quinn, ranked 15th in goal scoring entering Thursday’s games.
…didn’t he play wing for Team Canada ~5 months ago?
He said he didn’t.