Yukon's Dylan Cozens on brink of history as NHL draft day arrives

When and where will Dylan Cozens go?

That's the question on the minds of Yukon hockey fans ahead of this weekend's National Hockey League Draft.

Soon they will get their answer the first round of the draft is tonight in Vancouver, and Cozens is expected to be taken early.

If that happens, the 18-year-old from Whitehorse will make Yukon hockey history.

While there have been players with ties to the Yukon drafted into the NHLbefore, no player from the territory has ever been taken in the first round.

"I don't even know what I'm going to be thinking about," said Cozens. "It's going to be crazy for sure and I know I'm going to have so much support up here and I'm super excited for that."

I'm kind of trusting that wherever he goes is going to be the right place and I'll have that jersey.- Mike Cozens, Father

Which team drafts Cozens is really anyone's guess.

Over the course of the year, his placing on analysts' mock draft listshas been all over the place.

At one point,TSNanalyst Craig Button, a former NHLscout and general manager, had Cozens projected as the third overall pick. Hisranking on Button's list has since fallen to 14.

"In my case evaluating the players and putting together a list, I seea lot of players that really took some steps forward and really showed you more than they had shown earlier," said Button. "Inevitably, when players are getting better and moving forward that means some players are going to fall behind, and that's what happened."

Currently, Cozensis listed as the number 5 North American skater byNHL Central Scouting, and Hockey News magazine featured Cozens as the third best player available in its draft preview edition.

The Chicago Blackhawks(pick 3), Colorado Avalanche (pick 4), and Detroit Red Wings (pick 6)have all said that Cozens isa player they are seriously considering taking with their first pick.

Cozens' father Mike, a lifelong Chicago Blackhawks fan, says that despite his favourite team potentially being in position to draft his son, it doesn't matter what team calls Dylan's name on draft night.

"We don't have a preference, those clubs selecting are all good clubs and they're going to be great no matter what," said Mike.

"I mean Chicago would be great, right? I wouldn't have to change any of my hats or jerseys. [But] the reality is I'm kind of trusting that wherever he goes is going to be the right place.And I'll have that jersey."

Dylan says that regardless of who drafts him and when, his next goal is to make the NHL and play for that team in the upcoming season.

"I'm going to be super excited wherever I go," said Dylan. "Just sitting there waiting for my name to be called, it's going to be a great feeling and a great moment."

George Maratos will be in Vancouver following Dylan Cozens at the NHL Entry Draft. Follow him on Twitter at @CBCRadioGeorge.