It looks like the Ottawa Senators will be represented by at least one player at the world championships in Switzerland.
TSN’s Darren Dreger is reporting that there is a “strong possibility” that Sens forward Dylan Cozens will make his way overseas to play for Team Canada in the tournament May 15-31.
Hockey Canada is yet to confirm Cozens’ addition to its roster.
Cozens has represented Canada on the world stage six times, and twice at the world championships. In 2022, he finished third in tournament scoring with 13 points (seven goals, six assists) and scored in a 4-3 loss to Finland in the gold medal game.
Cozens had two of Ottawa’s five goals in a 4-0 series sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. In the regular season, the Whitehorse, Yukon, native had 59 points (28 goals, 31 assists) in 82 games and led the Senators in hits.
Cozens would join an already impressive Canadian forward corps. Dreger previously reported that Macklin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks), Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg Jets), Mathew Barzal (New York Islanders) and Gavin McKenna, the likely No. 1 pick for the 2026 NHL draft, will each play for their country.
Ottawa defenceman Jordan Spence was in talks with Hockey Canada to play, but as the Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch reports, the 25-year-old pending restricted free agent doesn’t want to risk injury.
Senators star forwards Tim Stutzle (Germany) and Brady Tkachuk (United States) have each confirmed they will not play in the tournament; both were Olympians at Milano-Cortina in February.
Canada will compete in Group B at the world championships, facing Denmark, Italy, Slovakia, Sweden, Czechia, Norway and Slovenia in round-robin play.
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