Dylan Cozens (born February 9, 2001) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected seventh overall by the Sabres in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
Playing career
Cozens was the first Whitehorse-born hockey player to be selected in the first round of the WHL bantam draft, chosen 19th overall, by the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
The Hockey News magazine ranked Cozens as the top Canadian player in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Cozens was selected seventh overall by the Buffalo Sabres, making him the first player from Yukon selected in the first round of an NHL entry draft. On July 15, 2019, Cozens was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres. He made his NHL debut on January 14, 2021, in a 6–4 loss to the Washington Capitals where he recorded his first NHL point with an assist. Cozens recorded his first goal on January 22 in a 4–3 loss to the Capitals.
Cozens' nickname is "The Workhorse from Whitehorse", coined by hockey play-by-play announcer Gord Miller.
International play
Cozens served as an alternate captain for Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World U18 Championships. Cozens won Gold with Team Canada at the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, scoring once in their 4–3 win over Russia. He and Bowen Byram were named co-captains for Team Canada at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships on December 26, 2020, replacing injured captain Kirby Dach. After going undefeated through the tournament, Cozens and Canada lost in the Gold medal game to Team USA 2–0.
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