Armed With New Perspectives, Brandon Kozun Is Back In North America, Trying To Make The Avalanche (+)

If you’re like me, you probably looked the training camp roster for the Colorado Avalanche and had the same thought.

Brandon Kozun?

I knew the name, I just hadn’t heard it in a long, long time.

There’s a reason why.

Once a highly touted prospect who led the the CHL in scoring back during the 2009-10 season, Kozun never panned out in the NHL. After a brief stint in Toronto that included 20 NHL games, he left North America in 2015.

That’s right, he’s been gone for 8 years.

Now, in 2023, he’s back, and he’s a completely different person. At 33 and having spent most of the last 8 years playing in Russia, he’s learned a lot about himself, the world, and different cultures. He’s older, wiser, and at peace with where he is in life, focusing on the present.

This week, his focus is training camp with the Avalanche, where he’s trying to earn a contract.

Wouldn’t that be something?