An emotional moment for Landon Kosior as he salutes the crowd at the Art Hauser Centre one final time. (submitted photo/Mark Peterson Media)

By Rob Mahon

Kosior Graduates From Raiders

The Closer: Raiders MVP and top defenceman Kosior leaves storied career behind

Mar 28, 2023 | 2:00 PM

Despite his individual accomplishments over a four-year career with the Prince Albert Raiders, Landon Kosior remains all about the team.

Case in point, during the final game of his WHL career, played in his hometown at the rink he practically grew up in, Kosior would’ve had every right to be reflective. Instead, he was focused on getting the win.

“I thought I was going to be more sad than I was, I was caught up in the game still,” Kosior said. “It got to a close game, so I was more worried about protecting the lead. I was happy reflecting on my career once the final buzzer went. It was more emotional playing my last game at the Hauser.”

The 20-year-old Regina native closed out his junior career in the fashion Raiders fans have come to expect. He picked up an assist on what proved to be the game winning goal, and spent most of the night matched up against the offensive juggernaut that is Connor Bedard, limiting his chances until the dying minutes.

“It’s something I’ll be able to tell my kids in the future, something I’ll always have to talk about,” Kosior said. “I’m sure he’s going to go on to have a great career, so it’s pretty exciting.”

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Yet after 213 games, all with the Raiders, and more goals than any other defenseman from the 2002 birth year, Kosior’s storied junior hockey career is at an end. Though his on-ice growth has been apparent, he felt it was off the ice the Raiders had left the biggest impact on him.

“Something they preached here was being a pro off the ice, whether it’s doing your hair, looking nice, dressing the right way,” Kosior said. “I’m taking that into wherever my next adventures take me.”

Raiders GM Curtis Hunt vividly recalls then-captain Brayden Pachal telling him he had to sign Kosior when Kosior first practiced with the team. Joining the team in 2019-20, Kosior stepped into a locker room still bolstered by the winning feeling of the season before and never looked back.

“I still remember being 17 and all the 20-year-olds telling me how fast it goes by,” Kosior said. “You never believe them, and now you’re here and it’s like, wow, it did go by fast.”

With a chuckle, Kosior added he tried to tell this year’s crop of young defencemen the same thing now that he was the elder statesman. Replacing Kosior’s output and ice time will be perhaps the biggest challenge for next year’s Raiders, but Kosior has faith in his young counterparts.

“They’re all coming along and it’s nice that they’re all pretty much going to return next year,” Kosior said. “I think they’ll have that chemistry, and it should be a great year for them next year.”

With 213 regular season games worth of memories, you’d understand if Kosior had a hard time singling one out. But there was one memory from his Raiders career so strong it came right out when he was asked about it.

“My first goal, I got it in the first game of my career, it was against Saskatoon, and it was the game they raised the (2019 WHL Championship) banner, so it was a really good crowd. I couldn’t have asked for a better game, to be honest.”

Kosior added his goal is to join the professional ranks next season, though he’s not yet sure where or with which team.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP