Dylan Cozens is enjoying his time with the Ottawa Senators after his departure from Buffalo wasn`t as he had hoped.
Cozens is set to play against the Sabres in Buffalo on Tuesday, not long after being traded before the deadline.
“I really thought I would be in Buffalo for a long time,” Cozens, 24, mentioned to reporters in Ottawa on Monday. “I believed I`d be part of turning things around. I always dreamed of helping them become a winning team. Things didn`t go that way, but that`s how it is. Now, I`m happy to be in Ottawa and to be a Senator.”
The Sabres, facing another year without playoffs for the 14th consecutive season, decided to make significant changes, trading Cozens to the Senators in exchange for Josh Norris.
Drafted by the Sabres as the seventh overall pick in 2019, Cozens had a strong 2022-23 season with 68 points. The Sabres then signed him to a seven-year contract extension. However, Cozens couldn`t keep up that level of offensive output in Buffalo in the following seasons.
Since joining Ottawa, both Cozens` personal performance and the team`s success have improved. He has scored three goals and made four assists in eight games for the Senators, who are currently in a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Norris is currently injured and unavailable for Buffalo.
“This is a fantastic team,” Cozens said. “Everyone has been very welcoming, and it`s been easy to fit in here.”
Cozens is looking forward to returning to Buffalo, where his professional hockey career began.
“I`m excited to go back,” he stated. “It will definitely feel a bit strange, but I`m trying not to think too much about it. Ultimately, it`s just another game, and we need to get these important two points.”
Sabres fans are now concerned that Cozens might achieve greater success with another team, similar to former Sabres players like Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, and Ryan O`Reilly during their long playoff drought.
