Ottawa Senators young star Dylan Cozens finds out he fits perfectly in the lineup. The Senators acquired him with defenseman Dennis Gilbert from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for forward Josh Norris and defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker, and Cozens is finding new life with a fresh set of teammates. Will this lead to a playoff spot for Ottawa? We will not have long to wait to find out.
Senators' Cozens gives lineup more punch
Cozens has played only four games for Ottawa but he has two goals and two assists for four points (one power-play goal) and 20 hits. He is making his presence felt early, something that is lifting the Senators in the midst of a tight wild-card race in the Eastern Conference. Cozens has been placed on a line with another youngster, Drake Batherson, and veteran David Perron. They have already to have shown great chemistry and are playing well for a newly formed line.
Cozens not only gives the Senators another young players at 24 years old but he comes with a lot of tools to add to an already potent lineup. He is a big body at 6-foot-3, he has a nice blend of skill and toughness, he is a great skater, and has an accurate shot. He is not afraid to mix things up and drop the gloves either.
Drafted seventh overall in 2019 by the Sabres, Cozens showed a lot of promise early on but he and the team struggled to get wins. With Buffalo out of a playoff spot, the time to move him was now and they got assets back for him. Norris and BErnard-Docker are two nice pieces that should fit in Buffalo's future plans.
Cozens and the Senators are 4-0 in games he plays in and his teammates have a bit more jump than before. Another factor that comes in the Cozens trade is thet he is sgiend until the year 2030.
Ottawa is in a tight playoff race but sits in the first wild-card spot with 75 points, five points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have been a great story all season. Can the Senators make a playoff run? Will Columbus catch and pass them? Both teams have similar records in their past 10 games with Ottawa 6-3-1 and Columbus 5-5. However, this will be a dogfight until the end and both teams are hungry for a playoff spot.