BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Sabres have returned top prospect Dylan Cozens to his Canadian junior team.

The rookie first-round draft pick was assigned to Lethbridge of the Western Hockey League on Thursday after the 18-year-old center had zero points in three preseason games with Buffalo.

Cozens was selected with the seventh overall pick in the draft in June, becoming the first player from Canada's Yukon Territory to be chosen in the first round. He scored 34 goals and had a Lethbridge-leading 84 points in 68 games last year.

The Sabres close the preseason at Pittsburgh on Saturday before returning to open the regular season there next Thursday.