Nipawin's Taran Kozun spent three seasons with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. (Submitted photo/Huskies Athletics)

By Mat Barrett

Kozun Signs in KC

Nipawin’s Kozun signs contract with ECHL’s Mavericks

Oct 29, 2020 | 3:30 PM

Nipawin native, and former University of Saskatchewan Huskie, Taran Kozun has signed a contract in the ECHL.

The Kansas City Mavericks have signed the 26-year-old goaltender to a contract for the upcoming hockey season. The ECHL is considered a ‘mid-level professional league’ and has affiliates in the NHL, for the Mavericks, that’s the Calgary Flames.

“With not having USports to go back to this year due to it being cancelled,” Kozun told northeastNOW. “It’s a great opportunity for me to keep on going to play hockey, and give the pro level another shot.”

Kozun spent four seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) between 2011 and 2015 and was named the league’s top goalie in 2014/2015. After his career in the WHL, Kozun signed with the – at the time, Missouri Mavericks – who became Kansas City a short time later. Kozun spent time with three ECHL teams that season, and also was loaned to the AHL for a brief period before coming back to Canada.

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His brother Tad also spent part of the 2019/2020 season with the Mavericks and Kozun said he’s heard good things about the organization.

After spending a season playing senior hockey, Kozun joined the Huskies in USports. In three seasons, Kozun played in 57 regular season, playoff, and University Cup games. Kozun was named the Canada West goalie of the year in 2018/2019, named to the first all-star team in Canada West and all of USports. He was also the USports goalie of the year after posting a save percentage of .926, and a goals against average (GAA) of 1.81 in 23 games that season. The next year, Kozun took another step forward, posting a save percentage of .931, and a GAA of 1.87. He was named Canada West goalie of the year, and MVP, and on top of that, was named USports goalie and player of the year along with Canada West and USports first team honours. Kozun also holds the Canada West record for longest shutout streak of 267:32, part of his 11 shutouts overall with the Huskies.

Kozun said during his three years in Saskatoon, he was thinking about when he could go pro, and when USports said they were cancelling their regular season play, the decision seemed natural.

“Try and make a living out of it on top of it,” he said. “It’s going to be a really good opportunity for me, to try and keep hockey going in the future for myself.”

Being from Nipawin, Kozun said it’s an honour to be one of those hometown kids to make it pro. He’s been helping some young hockey players in the area recently and said it’s special to see how they look up to him.

“Big honour that they look at me as a role model,” Kozun said. “And then for me just to go down there and further pursue my career, and then be able to give back when I’m home, it’s just a complete circle.”

As for the next steps, Kozun said he will continue skating in Nipawin and in Saskatoon as he prepares for the ECHL, and hopefully continue playing the sport as long as he is able.

“Take it year by year now,” he said. “Just try and make sure that you put the best possible year ahead, and then hope the body is holding up.”

The ECHL hopes to begin play for the 2020/2021 season on Dec. 11.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6