The Ottawa Senators are working through some early-season lulls. Captain Brady Tkachuk is injured, but Ottawa is not looking to make any excuses. They have embraced a “next man up” mentality. So far, one of the players stepping up is center Dylan Cozens.
The Senators initially acquired Cozens at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. Ottawa sent Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker to the Buffalo Sabres as part of the package to acquire the “Workhorse from Whitehorse.” The early returns for Ottawa are quite inspiring.
Cozens played well down the stretch last year, scoring five goals and 16 points in 21 games. This year, he has stepped his game up another level. He enters play Thursday with six goals and 10 points through 11 games in 2025-26.
The Senators certainly need him to play well, especially with Tkachuk out of the lineup. As for what sparked this change, he spoke to his confidence. More specifically, his desire to have the puck on his stick, and have the ability to directly impact the play.
“I’ve regained a lot of my confidence,” said Cozens, via Sportsnet’s Alex Adams. “I want the puck, I want it, I want it through the middle of the ice. I want to hunt it down, and I like having the puck on my stick and using my legs to skate, and I think that’s where I excel.”
Dylan Cozens Keys In On Specific Improvement
Carmen Mandato/Getty ImagesDylan Cozens is proving to be an important part of the Ottawa Senators lineup.
Looking under the hood, there are some things about Cozens’ game that could cause concern. For instance, he has scored the third-fewest Goals For Per 60 Minutes among Senators skaters, according to Evolving Hockey. Only Lars Eller has a lower Expected Goals For Per 60 Minutes, as well.
However, the production is there early in the season. He is scoring the goals Ottawa has needed from him. And he has generally been one of their top players while Tkachuk has been sidelined.
Furthermore, his improvement isn’t limited to his counting stats. He has shown positive strides in other areas of the ice. Cozens took time to address why he feels he has seen so much improvement this year.
“I think I’ve learned the systems a lot better this year,” he said, via Adams. “And I think it’s clicking a lot easier for me this year, and we’ve done a lot of work on it, lots of videos.”
Senators, Cozens Looking To Meet Expectations
The Senators made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season thanks in part to Cozens. Their stint in the postseason didn’t last too long. They were eliminated by the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games in the first round.
However, making the playoffs changed the game for Ottawa. There were expectations on this team before they made the postseason. Now, those expectations have risen. And the fanbase demands more from their team.
Cozens and his teammates are certainly not shying away from those expectations. They want the same thing the fanbase wants. And the environment in Canada’s capital city could not be more optimistic at this time.
“It’s a great vibe here. The expectations are high, and the standard is high,” said Cozens, via Adams.
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