Coyotes C Logan Cooley to fulfill dream by playing in NHL with Arizona
Jul 27, 2023, 4:18 PM | Updated: Jul 28, 2023, 4:24 am
Logan Cooley walks toward the stage after being selected third overall by the Arizona Coyotes during the 2022 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bell Centre on July 07, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
(Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Arizona Coyotes announced Thursday that the No. 3 overall pick from the 2022 Draft, Logan Cooley, would be leaving college and joining the team in the Valley.
Cooley had originally decided to return for another season with the Golden Gophers but changed course and signed with Arizona to live out his dream.
“For every hockey player, it is their goal to play in the NHL. Obviously that is my dream,” Cooley said on Thursday.
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“I want to play at the highest level I can, I want to be pushed every day and play with the best. Honestly, I am just very excited with the future of the Coyotes and where they are going. You saw the moves they made, their coaching staff and ownership group, I am so excited to be a part of it and get going.”
Cooley played in the national championship game at Minnesota last season and notched seven goals and seven assists in just seven games with the USA U-20 team.
Despite being one of the best players in college, Cooley acknowledged that the jump from a top tier program like Minnesota to the Coyotes will not be easy.
“The NHL is just way bigger, stronger and faster. It is definitely going to be an adjustment,” Cooley said.
“Learning little things to help me adapt to the NHL. It will definitely take some time but I am learning a lot and definitely looking forward to it.”
Cooley said that he is looking forward to meeting his teammates and forming relationships with them because the No. 1 goal is to bring a Stanley Cup to Arizona.
He will have a chance to challenge for a top-six forward spot with Barrett Hayton but joins the young nucleus of Matias Maccelli, Dylan Guenther, Dmitri Simashev, Daniil But, Conor Geekie, Maveric Lamoureux and Josh Doan.
Despite playing center in college, Cooley said one of the players he idolizes most in the NHL is New York Rangers right winger Patrick Kane because of their similar style of play.
Fans around the Valley will not hate this comparison as Kane has tallied 451 goals and 786 assists for 1,237 points in 1,180 career games with three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks.
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