Tyson Kozak

May 2023 – Kozak was one of the AHL’s youngest players in 2022-2023, making his debut at the age of 19 after graduating from his role as captain of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. In his rookie campaign with the Rochester Americans, he scored five goals and 10 points in 55 games. Continuing from where he left off in the WHL, his most significant contributions have been in his team’s defensive zone. He has provided checking support throughout the season and demonstrated grit as well as determination in hampering his opponent’s forecheck, improving upon some of his previous deficiencies. He blocks shots and accepts a physical toll to move the puck up the ice safely, but still lacks a sufficient degree of vision as well as experience to generate offense consistently. His coach this season has occasionally experimented with him at wing alongside numerous offensive players to provide a puck pursuit element to those lines. This has proven to be fruitful thus far, particularly in the postseason, as Kozak currently has a plus-minus rating of plus-five and has scored two goals as well as an assist in five playoff games. He spent some time on a line with leading scorer Lukas Rousek and top prospect Isak Rosen among others during their best-of-five series against Syracuse. Their next playoff opponent will be Toronto in the North Division Final. –Kevin Wong

June 2022 – Kozak finished his draft-plus-one season with 32 goals and 37 assists in 66 games with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. The undersized forward continues to be stronger on the defensive side of the puck than offensively but has diversified his game as a 19-year-old at the WHL level. He spent time centering the Winterhawks’ first line and finished fourth among Winterhawks skaters in scoring this season. During the 2022 WHL Playoffs, he scored two goals and three assists in 10 games. Kevin Wong