The hockey season is not over yet for Dylan Cozens. Just a few weeks after the Ottawa Senators were eliminated from the playoffs, the 25-year-old forward has officially committed to representing Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Fribourg, Switzerland.
Cozens is coming off his first full season with the Senators, and overall, it was a pretty productive year. He finished with 28 goals and 31 assists while giving the top six some much-needed offensive consistency throughout the season. He also led the team with 13 power-play goals, which was a career high, as he really seemed to settle into that bumper role on the top unit. Even in the short playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, he still managed to score twice and showed flashes of being able to produce in heavier games.
This also isn’t Cozens’ first time wearing the Maple Leaf at the World Championship. International hockey has honestly been a great fit for him over the years. He helped Canada win silver in 2022 and led the team in scoring during the 2024 tournament. Across 20 career games at the event, he has put up 16 goals and 24 points, which is pretty impressive production no matter how you look at it. His speed, puck pursuit, and ability to create off the rush translate really well to the larger European ice surface.
During his end-of-season media availability, Cozens talked about feeling more confident this season, particularly with his pace through the neutral zone, and playing for Canada only gives him another opportunity to build on that.
Canada opens the tournament against Sweden on May 15. With Tim Stutzle choosing to sit this one out and several other Senators still recovering from injuries, Cozens will likely be the main player Ottawa fans keep an eye on as he looks to chase his first gold medal at the men’s level.
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