Sabres Second-Line Shakeup; Cozens Shifted To The Wing

The Buffalo Sabres has seen sizable offensive output from the top line of JJ Peterka, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch, and has been getting more goals from their bottom-six than expected early in the season, but the second line centered by Dylan Cozens has struggled mightily through 10 games.

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At practice on Thursday, Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff shook up his line combinations, shifting Cozens to right wing, and moving Jordan Greenway and Ryan McLeod up to the second line. Cozens former linemate Jack Quinn skated on a new third-line unit with Jason Zucker and Peyton Krebs, while Sam Lafferty centered the fourth-line with Beck Malenstyn, Jiri Kulich (who alternated with Malenstyn) and Nicolas Aube-Kubel.

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“Sometimes a player gets so consumed with a lack of production, and then maybe gets locked in as your centerman, trying to play better defensively,” Ruff said. “We’re looking at a few more ways to get the puck in Dylan’s hands where he can shoot it, and sometimes just getting out of the middle can help you out. There’s no guarantee, but right now, where we’re at and where he’s at, it’s worth trying.”

Cozens has played center most of the last four seasons and signed a seven-year contract extension in the midst of a career-high 31-goal season in 2022-23, but to get him jump-started, Ruff is relying on his success at the World Championships for Team Canada, where he scored 16 goals in 20 games playing mostly on the wing.

Injured winger Zach Benson did not participate on Thursday, but Ruff said the 19-year-old is improving after over a week off the ice and thinks he will return to the lineup soon.

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