Photo by Photo Submitted
HONOURABLE RECOGNITION – Dylan Cozens poses Wednesday with the Jim Piggot Memorial Trophy at WHL’s annual awards banquet after being named the league’s rookie of the year. Photo courtesy ROB WALLATOR/WHL
Photo by Photo Submitted
MORE THAN HANDS – While 17-year-old Cozens has demonstrated his skill around the net, hockey circles have also noticed the gritty presence of the 6’3”, 177-pound centre. Photo courtesy ROBERT MURRAY/WHL
Dylan Cozens of Whitehorse named WHL’s rookie of the year.
Dylan Cozens’ grind on the ice keeps getting recognized.
Dylan Cozens’ grind on the ice keeps getting recognized.
The 17-year-old forward with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League was named rookie of the year Wednesday at the league’s annual awards ceremony in Red Deer, Alta.
Cozen’s is the first hockey player from Whitehorse and the Yukon to receive the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy which comes following his first full season with the Hurricanes.
Through his 57 regular season games, Cozens racked up 22 goals and 31 assists, placing him fourth among the Hurricanes scoring leaders and second among the league’s top rookies.
Cozens became the first player from Whitehorse to go in the first round of the WHL draft when the Hurricanes selected him in 2016.
Prior to being named the league’s rookie of the year, he’d already been selected as rookie of the year for the WHL’s Eastern Conference.
“It’s a huge honour and there’s lots of other really good players that could’ve won it,” Cozens said in a news release issued yesterday by the league. “I’m really happy. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the opportunity I’ve been given here (in Lethbridge). I’ve been given every opportunity to succeed and I’m really grateful for that.”
In addition to his scoring during the regular season, Cozens added 13 points – seven goals and six assists – in the Hurricanes 13 playoff games during their run to their second consecutive Eastern Conference final. They were eliminated Monday by the Swift Current Broncos who won the best-of-seven series four games to two.
He’s only the second Hurricane to be named the WHL’s rookie of the year, and was the first 16-year-old Hurricane in 12 years to achieve 50 points.
When Cozens was home visiting his family at Christmas, he brought along his Team Canada jersey and the silver medal he won in the World U-17 Hockey Challenge in November.
The rising talent has already been identified in hockey circles as a player to watch for in the 2019 NHL draft not only because of his skilled and soft hands, but also the gritty and physical presence on the ice of the 6’ 3”, 177-pound centre.
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Comments (1)
Up 3 Down 0
s on May 3, 2018 at 8:02 pm
A lot of hard work and years of dedication are behind this. And let's not forget a ton of support from his parents. Congratulations Dylan, there could have been others that it 'could have gone to', but they picked you and you earned it.