Dylan Cozens Perfect Fit With Senators

The Ottawa Senators aggressively swung at this year's NHL Trade Deadline, bringing in winger Fabian Zetterlund and center Dylan Cozens. The moves sent a message to the organization and the Eastern Conference playoff race: the Senators will not be an easy out.

A huge piece of the Senators success post-deadline is the play of Cozens. It's a small sample size, but it's clear that he is a perfect fit in Ottawa.

In four games with the Senators, Cozens has been electric and reverting to the parts of his game that earned him that seven-year, $49 million extension. The first aspect that sticks out is his physicality.

That characteristic has been applied to Cozens throughout his NHL career but not in the typical hockey definition. Cozens can throw body checks as well as the next player, but how he uses his body and strength in all three zones makes him so dangerous.

The 6'3", 210-pound forward is big, strong, and smart with his positioning. He attacks the front of the net, uses his frame to screen the opposing goalie, and knows how to get his stick open in tight spaces.

He is just as smart with his body on the forecheck. He uses his long reach to intercept pucks and poke-check the puck carrier. He can dislodge an opposing player with a body check if that fails. His most recent goal was a perfect example, as he caught a breakout attempt and lasered the turnover behind the goalie.

The Senators love to attack the net as a unit. Led by their captain, Brady Tkachuk, their offensive group is a straight-ahead skating one. They throw pucks on the net, collect rebounds, and hound opposing teams to create turnovers. So, it makes sense that Cozens has come in and seamlessly joined that system.

The fresh start for Cozens was crucial. His tenure with the Buffalo Sabres soured quickly over the past season and a half, and both sides needed a change. The Sabres' loss is the Senators' gain, as Cozens has come in and been an absolutely perfect fit in Ottawa and their playoff push.