Cozens eyes up first NHL playoff appearance following trade to Senators

Feature Photo: Getty Images

Dylan Cozens has never been one to look too far into the future.

Over his five-plus years in the NHL, Cozens, the seventh-overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft, has navigated ups and downs of his hockey life by keeping his focus in the present.

The trade deadline deal that brought him from Buffalo to Ottawa in early March helped elevate his personal approach to the game.

“I just want to do whatever I can to help the team win,” Cozens told NHLPA.com. “We’ve put ourselves in a good spot, but we just have to focus one game at a time now without looking too far ahead.”

In 12 games since the multi-player deal that sent Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker to Buffalo, Cozens has recorded 9 points, including a game-winning goal. He’s also used his size in the face-off circle to earn a face-off win percentage of 47.7. 

It’s added up to a smooth transition for Cozens, who is part of a Senators team looking to net its first playoff appearance since 2017. Should it happen, it will also mark the first NHL post-season action for the 24-year-old centre.

“The depth they’ve had and just the physicality they always played with made it tough to play against them,” offered Cozens. “They play with a lot of intensity.

“The guys here have been great welcoming me in and making it easy for me to fit in with the group. It’s a great group of guys here and I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone better.”

Currently, Ottawa sits in the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, a position Cozens hopes to help solidify with his strong play down the stretch.

With his imposing frame and two-way style of play, Cozens has been a perfect fit for Ottawa's gritty and intense style of play. He’s also seamlessly gelled with his linemates, veteran David Perron and fellow forward, Drake Batherson.

“Dylan is just so complete all over the ice, great at 200 feet, competes for pucks, plays hard, works to get it back and shoots the puck really well,” said Batherson. “He does all of that then lets his skill set take over. He can really skate as well, so as a winger, it’s a treat to play with a guy like that.” 

Off the ice, Cozens and Batherson have become fast friends.

“Drake let me move in with him which has made my life a lot easier,” said Cozens, who assisted on Batherson’s 21st goal of the campaign in a 3-2 Ottawa win on March 29. “Right now, away from hockey, I have just been hanging out with Drake. We’re watching lots of hockey or playing video games.”

Batherson added, “Dylan has been huge for us since we got him, and he is a guy you want to be around off the ice as well.”

Cozens often reflects on advice his father imparted to him and his younger brother, Luke, a forward with the Western Hockey League’s Lethbridge Hurricanes: ‘Don’t whine. Don’t complain. Don’t make excuses. Just do it.’

“That was something my dad shared with us when we were growing up,” said Cozens, who left his hometown of Whitehorse, Yukon, at 14 to further his hockey career. “I always had that up on the wall since we were kids, and it stuck with me.”

Cozens, whose trophy case includes a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2020 world juniors and the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s top rookie, will maintain his game-to-game outlook down the regular-season stretch.

“I want to be a consistent player; someone who contributes at both ends of the ice every night. I want to play that 200-foot game and be counted on when the game is on the line.”

As the regular season winds down, Cozens remains committed to being a force on both ends of the ice, with his eye on the ultimate goal – helping Ottawa secure a playoff spot.

“I’m just looking to do whatever it takes to help the team win.”