BY: DUANE A STEINEL
Yesterday final rosters were announced for Team Canada’s World Junior Championship Under-20 team. Head coach André Tourigny had his work cut out for him. With top draft picks from the 2020 NHL Draft like Quinton Byfield, Cole Perfetti, and Jaime Drysdale leading headlines, the Buffalo Sabres also saw two of their own get the nod from Tourigny.
2019 7th overall pick Dylan Cozens and 2020 8th overall pick Jack Quinn have both made Team Canada’s roster ahead of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships.
Hockey Canada announced the final roster cuts on Friday afternoon just days before teams are set to head to Edmonton.
Cozens, had a standout season in 2019-2020 for the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL with 85 points in 51 games and is predicted to make the Sabres roster for the upcoming 2020-2021 season set to begin on January 13. Tourigny, while speaking to reporters, was impressed by Cozens’ performance during camp while playing on a line with Chicago forward Kirby Dach and Capitals prospect Connor McMichael. “They are making it tough for us to break them up. They are a line we envision using moving forward.”
Being one of the returning players from the 2020 team that took home gold, Cozens expects more of himself this time around. When asked how he felt about comments made by TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button in regards to possibly being named a Captain, Cozens took pride in his ability to lead by example. “Growing up, I’ve been more of a leader than a follower. I like to lead by example, whether it’s on or off the ice. I’m just a guy who likes to help others out, and if I do get the chance to be one of the leaders of that team, I wouldn’t take that lightly. Wearing a letter for Team Canada on a stage like the World Juniors is an honor that not many people get to experience, so it’d be unbelievable for me”.
Also making the roster is Quinn, who also plays under Tourigny with the OHL Ottawa 67’s, and had a break out year in 2020. The 18-year old right-winger scored 89 points in 62 games with 52 goals. Upon being invited to Team Canada’s Selection Camp, Quinn saw his existing relationship with Tourigny as an advantage. “It’s an advantage for me,” Quinn said. “I know what he expects in practice, what he expects in games. All the little habits and details he teaches. He expects a lot out of me, and I think that’s something I need to step up and do them.
When Coach Tourigny was asked about Quinn’s game, Tourigny spoke in length about the strengths in his two-way game and goal-scoring ability. “I hope to see what I see every day with the 67’s. Super hard-working guy. A guy with a lot of hockey sense. A guy who competes and gets inside of the ice, and he’s really good defensively. Jack’s a helluva hockey player”.
With Cozens and Quinn joining Byfield, Drysdale, Perfetti, and Dach, Team Canada is a favorite to win gold again in the 2021 tournament. Canada’s roster includes 19 total first-round picks, and seven of them being in the top 10. The 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships is set to begin on Christmas Day in Edmonton. Canada will begin its journey to back-to-back gold the following day when they face-off against Germany.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on December 25, and run through January 5.
The Sports Desk can be reached at editorialtrainwrecksports@gmail.com
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