Dylan Cozens is relishing his time as an Ottawa Senator after his tenure in Buffalo concluded differently than he had anticipated.
Cozens is set to return to Buffalo to compete against the Sabres on Tuesday, marking his first game back since a significant trade on deadline day.
“I envisioned myself staying in Buffalo for a long time,” Cozens, 24, stated to reporters in Ottawa on Monday. “I believed I would contribute to positive change there and dreamt of being part of a successful team. Unfortunately, things didn`t pan out as expected. However, I am delighted to be in Ottawa and to be a Senator.”
The Sabres, facing another year without playoffs for the 14th consecutive season, opted to revamp their core at the trade deadline. They traded Cozens to the Senators in a multi-player deal that brought forward Josh Norris to Buffalo.
Drafted seventh overall by the Sabres in 2019, Cozens had a breakthrough season in 2022-23, scoring 68 points in 68 games. The Sabres then signed him to a seven-year, $49.7 million contract extension in February 2023. However, the Whitehorse native couldn`t sustain that offensive level in subsequent seasons in Buffalo.
His fortunes have changed for the better both personally and team-wise in Ottawa. Cozens has tallied three goals and four assists in eight games for a Senators team currently holding a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Norris is currently sidelined with an undisclosed injury.
“This is a fantastic group. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, making it easy to integrate,” Cozens mentioned.
Cozens is looking forward to returning to his first professional hockey home.
“I`m excited,” he admitted. “It will definitely feel a bit strange. But I`m trying not to overthink it. Ultimately, it`s just another game, and we need to secure these crucial two points.”
Sabres fans now worry about Cozens achieving greater success with another team, similar to Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, and Ryan O`Reilly before him during this extended playoff drought.