Tyson Kozak

[inkman]

So I can’t get away from people on the interwebs professing their love for Tyson Kozak.  First, I love the kids name. Full on hockey name there.  Second, I appreciate his role for the Amerks.  He does a lot of stuff the high end skill guys don’t and coaches notice that.  
 

That’s kinda where it ends for me with Kozak.  He’s been compared to Mike Peca and Paul Gaustad.  Uh…he isn’t in the same stratosphere as those guys.  Peca was a PPG player in the AHL and one of the most ferocious hitters of his era.  Goose was a 6’5” behemoth that was a .54 AHL PPG player that dominated the faceoff dot and played exception D.  
 

Kozak was a .18 PPG AHL player that occasionally fights and gets involved in after the whistle skirmishes.  Someone please tell me what I’m missing. 

Edited September 19, 2023 by inkman

[GASabresIUFAN]

Nothing, but he is a guy the coaches love and if his O develops some, he could make a run at being a 4th line NHLer who may have enough skill to play up when injuries strike.  I think Cederqvist and Rousek are in the same boat, except Tyson is only 20.

Edited September 19, 2023 by GASabresIUFAN

[Ctaeth]

I wouldn't hold his AHL points per game against him just quite yet - he wasn't quite a featured piece of the Amerks last season.  That being said, I voted potential depth piece down the road.  Comparisons to Peca and/or Gaustad are silly at this point because he hasn't shown that he is anywhere close.  

[inkman]

28 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Nothing, but he is a guy the coaches love and if his O develops some, he could make a run at being a 4th line NHLer who may have enough skill to play up when injuries strike.  I think Cederqvist and Rousek are in the same boat, except Tyson is only 20.

The fact that he’s only 20 does give him some room for growth.  Maybe we’ll see that this year even if the Amerks are loaded.  (They are)

[Brawndo]

If he makes the Sabres it will be in a 4th Line Role for his defensive capabilities. 
 

It’s also important to remember he could have returned to the WHL last season where he was above a PPG Player, but the Sabres felt Rochester was a better spot for His Development. 

[RochesterExpat]

47 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I think Cederqvist and Rousek are in the same boat

If you're suggesting that Rousek is a fourth liner in the sense of a physical shut down type of guy, I strongly disagree. He has the skills of a 3rd line scoring forward or whatever term people are taking from EA sports this week to describe players. 

He doesn't play like a traditional fourth liner--Kozak and Cederqvist do. If Rousek makes the club, it's as a "traditional" third line role of "responsible offense." He's the kind of guy you pair your future Top-6 rookies with as they develop. He's a good puck mover. He's quick. He goes into corners and will take a hit to win a play. He also backchecks. He just isn't the type of player to tie up McDavid along the boards. He played in two games last season and recorded a goal and an assist, but he had zero hits.

I get what you're saying about age. Rousek might be 24, but he's only played one full season in Rochester and I think he's got room to still grow. The season prior he joined the roster late in the season due to an ACL/meniscus injury. Granted, he had a really slow start that year (different size rink and not playing hockey for five months will do that), but he looked absolutely fantastic in the 21-22 playoffs (and the 22-23 playoffs for that matter). We'll see.

Of course, the whole four lines bit is archaic at this point and not the realities of hockey anymore. Hence why I'm not 100% sure I read what you said correctly.

[triumph_communes]

He’s many years away

[Pimlach]

Quinn out, Savioe out, maybe more to come.  

 

Kozak could make the team as a bottom 6/spare part but that is more likely a down the road guy.  Rousek, Biro, and  Murray could get a shot first.  

Edited September 19, 2023 by Pimlach

[bunomatic]

Who loves ya baby ?

[Pimlach]

1 hour ago, bunomatic said:

Who loves ya baby ?

Kojak is not Kozak, but the hat is nice.  

 

Edited September 19, 2023 by Pimlach

[dudacek]

Thing about Kozak is he played half the season as a 19-year-old.

His season (and Kisakov's) could be best described as an internship for what would be most 2021 draft pick's rookie AHL season: the coming year.

i think we'll get a better sense of the NHL potential of each player this year.

Edited September 19, 2023 by dudacek

[inkman]

1 minute ago, dudacek said:

Think about Kozak is he played half the season as a 19-year-old.

His season (and Kisakov's) could be best described as an internship for what would be most 2021 draft pick's rookie AHL season: the coming year.

i think we'll get a better sense of the NHL potential of each player this year.

Honestly, I have been forgetting how young he is.  He’ll be interesting to watch. 

 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Yes.

Or maybe, no.

[LGR4GM]

Ask again in 2 years. 

[Two or less]

9 hours ago, inkman said:

That’s kinda where it ends for me with Kozak.  He’s been compared to Mike Peca and Paul Gaustad.  Uh…he isn’t in the same stratosphere as those guys.  Peca was a PPG player in the AHL and one of the most ferocious hitters of his era.  Goose was a 6’5” behemoth that was a .54 AHL PPG player that dominated the faceoff dot and played exception D. 

 

The comparison Mike Weber once used on Sabres live for Kozak was a center version of Adam Mair. Kid is super strong, tough to play against, good forechecker, penalty killer, win important faceoffs,  can handle himself, and can put up some offensive numbers 2 goals, 3 assists in 14 playoff games.

Also, Kozak had a slow start last season because he was battling some injuries early on.

[LGR4GM]

15 minutes ago, Two or less said:

 

The comparison Mike Weber once used on Sabres live for Kozak was a center version of Adam Mair. Kid is super strong, tough to play against, good forechecker, penalty killer, win important faceoffs,  can handle himself, and can put up some offensive numbers 2 goals, 3 assists in 14 playoff games.

Also, Kozak had a slow start last season because he was battling some injuries early on.

Kozak is only 20. Even good prospects like Quinn and JJP struggled in the NHL at 20. I think Kozak will need another couple years in the AHL to really fulfill a bottom 6 roll in the NHL 

[Two or less]

30 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

Kozak is only 20. Even good prospects like Quinn and JJP struggled in the NHL at 20. I think Kozak will need another couple years in the AHL to really fulfill a bottom 6 roll in the NHL 

yup, i agree.

[Mustache of God]

These mid-tier prospects are really going to have to work their ***** off to get the jump on the Savoie, Benson, Kulich, Rosen, and Ostlunds ahead of them. GMKA's next big challenge is going to be figuring out which prospects to keep and which ones to trade away/give them an opportunity with another club.

[French Collection]

8 hours ago, Mustache of God said:

These mid-tier prospects are really going to have to work their ***** off to get the jump on the Savoie, Benson, Kulich, Rosen, and Ostlunds ahead of them. GMKA's next big challenge is going to be figuring out which prospects to keep and which ones to trade away/give them an opportunity with another club.

The Krebs discussion about him embracing a 3-4 C role applies here I think. If Mitts signs and returns to C then 4C is all that is available to these high end C prospects. You need someone to embrace that role or to admit 4C is my ceiling on this team. Kozak may end up being that guy because that probably is his ceiling.

Some of these prospects can move to wing, but will be bottom 6 wingers.

It will be interesting to see who gets moved and what the returns are. Some of these kids will not want to be a 4C, even on a good team. They will want an opportunity to play middle C and get the salary that role provides.