August 19, 2022 – Western Hockey League (WHL) – Portland Winterhawks Press Release
Portland, Oregon – The Portland Winterhawks, a proud member of the Western Hockey League, announced today that co-captain Tyson Kozak has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabers of the National Hockey League.
Originally selected by the Sabers in the seventh round, 193rd overall, of the 2021 NHL Draft, Kozak excelled as one of the team’s captains in 2021-22 with career-best numbers at all levels. The Mice, Man. product finished fourth in team scoring with 32 goals and 37 assists for 69 points in 66 games. Excelling in all areas of the ice, Kozak also helped the Hawks rank among the top five power-play and short-handed units in the WHL.
Kozak retains an additional year of WHL eligibility if Buffalo decides to develop him further in Portland.
During the 2021-22 campaign, Kozak became the 135th Winterhawk of all time to reach 100 career points at Portland. In 152 regular season games, the remarkable center of the Hawks posted 48 goals and 61 points for 109 points.
Kozak was selected by the Winterhawks in the sixth round of the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft after an impressive campaign with the Southwest Cougars’ AAA program. He joins Taylor Gauthier, Cross Hanas, Jaydon Dureau and Clay Hanus as members of the 2021-22 Winterhawks roster to put pen to paper on pro contracts in 2022.
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