Calen Addison (left) and Dylan Cozens (right). (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Addison & Cozens return to Lethbridge after world junior gold medal win

Jan 15, 2020 | 1:35 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – “To get to win that gold medal with [Addison], get to pass that trophy to me, it just made that whole experience so much better,” says Dylan Cozens.

Cozens and Calen Addison are reflecting on their experiences at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, where the Lethbridge Hurricanes stars helped Team Canada to secure the gold medal.

In the final round against Russia, Canada won 4-3 as Cozens hit the net once in the second period and Addison had two assists in the third.

Addison said taking part in the tournament was something he had been working towards his entire life and was far from disappointed by the experience.

“Me and [Cozens], we’ve been here for a few years now and that’s pretty special for sure for us and for the organization to have us both there, and [Oliver] Okuliar too with Slovakia, but with Team Canada and to hand that trophy off to him after that game after that was a feeling I’ll never forget and it was definitely the best feeling of our lives for sure.”

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He adds that the early 6-0 loss to Russia in the preliminary rounds was the kick in the pants Team Canada needed to get their act together and play as they have never played before. It was this defeat that made their eventual gold medal victory even sweeter.

While this is not the first time Cozens has suited up for Team Canada, he did take part in the U-17 and U-18 tournaments.

He says the world juniors was a completely different experience.

“It is a way different game than the WHL, you know, there’s way less hitting, it’s more skilled, it’s the best junior players in the world so there’s a lot of skill there so it’s still tough. There’s no time and space – even with the bigger ice, guys are on you right away – it’s so fast, so high-paced, and so intense.”

Cozens became the first-ever person from the Yukon to play at the world juniors.

Also a member of the Hurricanes, Oliver Okuliar played for Team Slovakia and got to face off against his regular teammates in the quarterfinals. Canada emerged victorious from that game 6-1.

Addison and Cozens agree that this victory has only made them hungrier for future success.

They say several Hurricanes players stepped up in their absence and they cannot wait to hit the ice with them again.

Note: This article originally stated that Dylan Cozens played at the world juniors in 2017 and 2018. it has been corrected to say that he competed in the U-17 and U-18 tournaments.