Cozens is a player that will excel in structure. He is the 2C. Mitts long term was always the 3C. Yes we have not replaced Mitts.
Ryan Johnson was our third best defensemen last year.
Cozens might as well be a power winger and Mitts was the top C not 3C since the end of 22/23 until he got traded.
You lose a lot of flexibility if injury occurs.
With no further additions you have the 2 guys as the top C that struggled mightily last season.
Adams seems to stick to a plan he probably layed out before last season started that TT & Cozens are gonna be 1/2 and he is not gonna divert no matter what the on ice result.
It seems to fit the picture of a GM who is unable to adapt to changes, like not adding anything worth of value at the TDL when we missed the playoffs by 1 point adding a head scratcher in Stillman because its a development season.
Adding nothing significant last off season to improve the roster banking on youth improving again without any regression jettison another season because he is not a proactive GM.
Granato should have been replaced in December lighting a fire under the asses of a to complacent culture without snx accountability and gifted spots too youth like something he is gonna try with Krebs as 3C.
His moveing Mitts would have made more sense would his core have performed as expected but they all failed for various reasons and he traded the only guy who showed up and the only guy who actually showed he can play a winning type of hockey consistently, a type of player that delivers also in the playoffs.
TT has to show he can adapt his game like top centers do, it seems at the end of 22/23 the league haf figured him out.
Its a show me season for him.
Bryam is a top prospect, would have been a good addition for any team that hasnt already 2 guys ahead of him that do the same things but much better heck at least get a guy if it has to be that type that has the same exp as Mitts not getting younger again.