Pittsburgh-native, Coyotes pick Logan Cooley says he was a Capitals fan

Pittsburgh-native and Arizona Coyotes top draft pick Logan Cooley shocked the Wolf & Luke Show on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station by declaring he had an affinity for Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals over the local Pittsburgh Penguins while growing up.

Wolf and Luke were equally surprised by Cooley’s comments, especially considering he got his start in hockey at a camp hosted by Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby.

“It definitely wasn’t easy being a Capitals fan growing up in Pittsburgh,” Cooley said. “I don’t even really know how it really started, I just really liked how the Capitals played the game.”

Cooley attended the inaugural Sidney Crosby Learn to Play Hockey program in 2008-09 and spent many years playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite youth teams but still showed a lean toward one of Crosby’s biggest rivals in Ovechkin.

“I was a big Capitals fan growing up, I was a big Ovechkin fan,” Cooley said when asked by Wolf who asked who his favorite Penguin was.

“At the time growing up the Capitals were such a skilled team to watch, such a fun team to watch.”

It would appear Cooley picked up a few skills from both players along the way.

He tallied 75 points, including 27 goals in 51 games for the US National U18 team last season and is slated to play for the University of Minnesota next year. A spot on the Coyotes roster could be on the horizon for Cooley anytime after that season.

He could make a quick impact at the center position, a spot that the Coyotes have been searching to fill on the top line for awhile.

For now, Cooley is enjoying the fact that he is in a position to soon make the jump to the sport’s highest level.

“Any player that plays the game growing up there goal is to get drafted and hopefully play in the NHL,” Cooley said. “That was definitely a dream come true.”

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