NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBBdefence man
Medicine Hat Tigers forward Luke Cozens looks to make a pass during a practice drill Thursday at the Kinplex.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Luke Cozens is looking forward to having the Medicine Hat Tigers faithful on his side for a change.
The 19-year-old forward was acquired by the Tigers on Wednesday from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for 18-year-old defenceman Kyle Heger – a trade destination he never would have predicted.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” Cozens said Thursday, following his second skate as a Tiger.
“When my general manager in Lethbridge called me and told me I was going to be a Tiger, it was kind of a shock. I didn’t know they were one of the teams who were going to be looking for me, but I couldn’t be happier. The boys welcomed me and it’s been really good.”
He has a lot of love for Lethbridge, having played three seasons in Alberta’s Windy City, following his older brother Dylan who also played three seasons.
“My years there were unreal and I couldn’t be happier to have played there,” Cozens said.
The Whitehorse, Yuk. product joins the Tigers in the middle of a career year with 17 goals and 44 points in 39 games. Before this season he had four goals and 17 points in 110 games. After the Hurricanes were swept by the Tigers in last year’s Eastern conference championship series, Cozens says he approached the summer knowing he had to take a step.
“I knew I’d have a lot more opportunity so I took advantage of that. I came in this year just knowing the type of player I could be and that I hadn’t reached that yet in this league,” Cozens said. “It’s been working for me this year. I got my confidence back, everything like that. So I’m just trying to keep it going.”
Through two practices and many games on the opposing side, associate coach Joe Frazer has liked what he’s seen from Cozens.
“He’s got some great speed, tenacious on pucks, scores a lot of goals, he likes the hash marks and crease area, so the dirty areas, and everyone we talked to raved about his character and how good of a kid he is,” Frazer said. “That philosophy, he seems like a really good person and that’s what we want.”
Cozens has also enjoyed his first look at his new team.
“The boys have welcomed me and obviously the guys on the ice are telling me how to do drills and everything like that,’ Cozens said. “I feel like I blended in good, it’s high-energy, fast paced practices, so that’s been unreal.”
The Cozens name bears some pain in Tigers history. Dylan, now playing in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators, scored a late tying goal in the Tigers Game 7, OT loss to the Hurricanes in the second round of the 2017 playoffs. Before last season’s championship run, it was the highest pressured goal scored in Co-op Place.
The newest Tiger watched that goal from his home in Whitehorse as a child. Will he try to replicate it for his new team?
“I’m trying not to put that much pressure on myself,” Cozens said. “Obviously I want to score for the team and everything like that, but I’m just gonna play my game and I know goals will come.”
Cozens is the second Yukon product to suit up for the Tigers, following his close friend Gavin McKenna who played three years in Medicine Hat. Head coach Willie Desjardins joked with him about that on the post-trade call. Cozens also spoke to McKenna not long after about being a Tiger.
“(Willie) made a joke over the phone that they’ve had some good luck with Whitehorse guys, so no pressure,” Cozens said. “That’s fair, Gavin obviously did a lot here so I’m just trying to try to play my best.
“He’s fired up for me and excited. He said go in there, be ready to work and the boys here are a team, so just be ready to go into a good culture. Play for each other.”
Cozens has played 15 games against the Tigers in his time in the WHL, four in the playoff series last year. He’s ready to experience being on the ‘right side’ of the Tigers fans.
“I’m excited to have the Tigers fans on my side for once,” Cozens said. “The fans are pretty ruthless here. I loved it last year in playoffs, it was hard to play against, so I’m excited to be behind that.”
