SALT LAKE CITY – With the Utah Hockey Club’s inaugural season just around the corner, it’s time for fans to familiarize themselves with the roster to better understand who will be donning the Utah jersey and what to expect from Logan Cooley when the puck officially drops in Salt Lake City in October.
The next player profile features one of the club’s most exciting young players, forward Logan Cooley, who helps fans get to know the Utah Hockey Club roster.
Logan Cooley from Utah
Cooley is a 20-year-old center from Pittsburgh, PA. Originally from Pittsburgh, Cooley began his hockey career as a participant in Sidney Crosby’s Little Penguins program.
“I was the first one to join the Crosby program. I don’t remember too well because I was about four years old at the time,” Cooley told ESPN. “They gave you free equipment and a chance to run around and have fun. That’s what I really remember. And then Crosby was out there and you were learning from one of the best players in the world. That was pretty cool at such a young age.”
Junior career
Later in his junior career, Cooley took the National Juniors by storm for the United States, stealing some headlines from eventual 2023 first-round pick Connor Bedard. In just five games, Cooley recorded five goals and six assists, second only to Bedard in the tournament.
After making a name for himself at the World Juniors, Cooley committed to play college hockey at the University of Minnesota, where he scored 22 goals and recorded 38 assists in 39 games during the 2022–23 season.
Although he originally committed to play for the Golden Gophers in the 2023-24 season, Cooley was selected third overall in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Arizona Coyotes and was given an incredible opportunity to showcase his skills at the highest level for the Coyotes last year.
Professional career
After impressing the coaching staff in training camp, Cooley got his chance with the Coyotes last season and didn’t look back once he made the Opening Day roster. From there, Cooley’s performance exploded and he finished the season with 20 goals and 24 assists, earning him a spot on the NHL’s All-Rookie Team.
Fans should definitely be excited about guys like Tij Iginla and Cole Beaudoin from this year’s draft, but Cooley is someone they can get excited about now that he has proven his game at the NHL level.
Related: Exclusive: Tij Iginla dreams of winning Stanley Cup with Utah after busy first summer
Cooley is a wizard with the puck. His puck handling skills are top notch and the way he moves his body allows him to do things that few others are capable of. He also has the ability to consistently put the puck in dangerous areas and can light up the lamp in countless ways. He picks his spots, he rushes the net and just finds different ways to put the ball in the net.
With his skills and abilities, Cooley should be a franchise player for a long time to come and it will be interesting to see what leap he makes in the second season.
Follow Utah hockey players on social media
Fans can follow Cooley on his Instagram account here.
Utah Hockey Schedule
Fans can watch the Utah Hockey Club’s first home game on October 8th against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks. Click here for the full schedule.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Stay up to date here on X. You can hear Cole’s analysis of the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
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