Dylan Cozens is proving once again why they call him the Workhorse from Whitehorse. After the Ottawa Senators were bounced in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the 25-year-old centre has agreed to keep his skates laced up for a little more action on the international stage.
Hockey Canada officially announced its roster on Friday, and as expected, Cozens will represent Team Canada at the World Hockey Championships in Switzerland from May 15 to May 31. The tournament will be hosted across Zurich and Fribourg, bringing together 16 national teams in a battle for global bragging rights.
Few active NHL players have shown up for Canada as consistently—or as effectively—as Cozens has. Between junior and senior levels, he has already worn the red maple leaf in 52 games of international tournament play, racking up an impressive 70 points in those contests. That kind of production is a testament to his ability to rise to the occasion when the stakes are highest.
This will be Cozens' third appearance at the World Hockey Championships in five years. His first taste of the tournament came in 2022 in Finland, where—despite being moved to the wing—he finished third in tournament scoring with 13 points in 10 games. Canada came heartbreakingly close to gold that year, falling 4-3 in overtime to the host Finns in the final.
Cozens returned in 2024 when Canada finished fourth, but he once again delivered, notching 11 points in 10 games—good for sixth overall in the tournament. His international resume also includes two standout World Juniors appearances, where he totaled 25 points in 14 games and helped Canada capture both a silver and a gold medal.
After winning gold at this event in 2023, Canada has gone without a medal in each of the last two years. Last year's tournament was especially shocking, as Canada suffered a stunning 2-1 quarterfinal loss to Denmark—one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport.
This year, Cozens will be joined in Switzerland by a star-studded Canadian lineup that includes Macklin Celebrini, Mathew Barzal, Mark Scheifele, and Evan Bouchard. He'll also reunite with some familiar faces in former Senators Connor Brown, Dylan DeMelo, and Cam Talbot.
On the ice, Cozens is coming off the second-best season of his career, posting 28 goals and 59 points. While he has only cracked the 60-point mark once so far, his consistent production and international pedigree suggest the best is still ahead for this Yukon-born powerhouse. Whether you're tracking his journey for fantasy hockey or just love seeing a player represent his country with pride, Dylan Cozens is a name worth watching in Switzerland.