The Senators centre will be making his third appearance in five years at this tournament.
The Workhorse from Whitehorse is living up to his nickname. After the Senators were eliminated in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, centre Dylan Cozens has agreed to work a little overtime.
Hockey Canada made their roster official on Friday, and as expected, Cozens will continue his hockey season by representing Team Canada at the World Hockey Championships in Switzerland from May 15 to May 31. The tournament will take place in Zurich and Fribourg, featuring 16 national team programs.
Few active NHL players have shown up for Canada as frequently and successfully as Cozens has. Between junior and senior, the 25-year-old Cozens has already worn the red maple leaf in 52 games of international tournament play, and he's excelled with 70 points in those games.
Cozens' first time at this event was in 2022 in Finland, where, despite being moved to the wing, he was third in tournament scoring with 13 points in 10 games. Canada lost in the final that year, 4–3 in OT to the host Finns.
Cozens went again in 2024 when Canada finished fourth, but he produced again with 11 points in 10 games, good for sixth overall in the tourney.
His numbers were even better in his two World Juniors appearances. Over 14 games at that tournament, Cozens had 25 points and helped Canada to a silver and a gold.
After winning gold at this event in 2023, Canada has failed to medal in each of the last two years. Last year was especially shocking with Canada losing in the quarterfinals, 2-1 to Denmark in one of the biggest upsets in the sport's history.
Cozens will be joined in Switzerland this year by big names like Macklin Celebrini, Mathew Barzal, Mark Scheifele, and Evan Bouchard. He'll also be joined by former Senators Connor Brown, Dylan DeMelo, and Cam Talbot.
Hockey Canada on XIn the pro ranks, Cozens is coming off the second-best season of his career with 28 goals and 59 points. He's only cracked the 60-point mark once in his career, logging 68 points three seasons ago in Buffalo.
Canada has only listed 12 forwards so far, leaving room for a straggler or two that get eliminated in the second round of the NHL playoffs.
Cozens and company will open the tournament next Friday against Team Sweden. The two teams will be in a group with Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
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