Cooley Excited to Start Professional Career, 'Can't Wait to Get Going'

Logan Cooley wasn't sure what his future had in store when the summer kicked off, but he took his time and consulted with those closest to him when deciding whether it was the right time to make the jump to the NHL.

For Cooley, and Coyotes fans, it was worth the wait.

Cooley, who signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Coyotes on Thursday, is set to kick off his professional career following a standout freshman campaign at the University of Minnesota in 2022-23. The 19-year-old was selected third overall by the Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Draft, and subsequently followed that up by finishing as the Golden Gophers' leading scorer, recording 22 goals and 38 assists in 39 NCAA games.

He finished as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award - given to the NCAA's best player - and was also named a 2022-23 All-American Scholar, meaning he maintained a 3.75 GPA or higher in each college semester while appearing in at least 40 percent of the team's games.

In addition to helping Minnesota all the way to the National Championship game last season, Cooley earned a bronze medal with the United States at the 2023 World Junior Championship. He led the team in scoring, notching seven goals and seven assists in seven games, and was named both a top-3 player on the team and an All-Star in the tournament.

The highly decorated player now turns his attention to the NHL, where he hopes to make an immediate impact on the team.

"I want to play at the highest level I can, I want to be pushed every day, I want to play with the best," Cooley said. "Honestly, I'm just super excited about the future of the Arizona Coyotes and the direction they're going."

His decision marked an about-face from earlier this summer, in which he had indicated his intention to return to the Golden Gophers for his sophomore season. The Pittsburgh native said his change of heart happened organically, and ultimately the time was right for him to make the jump to the NHL.

Now, the Coyotes' 2022 top pick joins a crop of talented prospects in Arizona's system that includes Dylan Guenther (2021, 9th overall), Josh Doan (2021, 37th overall), Conor Geekie (2022, 11th overall), Maveric Lamoureux (2022, 29th overall), Dmitri Simashev (2023, 6th overall), and Danil But (2023, 12th overall), not to mention the scores of others that are developing at other universities or on the international level.

He already had the opportunity to play with all of them in previous iterations of development camp, and is looking forward to what the future has in store.

"Any time you can put that NHL jersey on, compete against the other prospects, and see where you're at against them, it was super special," Cooley said. "That's kind of when I knew, 'I think I'm ready for the next step.'"

General Manager Bill Armstrong said he and his staff remained persistent in pursuing Cooley this offseason, and the organization is excited for him to arrive in The Valley considering he's "one of our biggest signings we've had in this organization."

There will certainly be a learning curve as he adjusts to life as a professional hockey player, but as Armstrong and his staff watched him earlier this month at prospect development camp, they had no doubt he was ready to make the leap.

Cooley possesses the skill, vision, and attitude that the club's brass values within the organization.

"I wanted to make sure that he knew how much we loved him, as a player and as a person. We tried to communicate that as much as possible, how happy and excited we were when we picked him, and how much we believe in him," Armstrong said. "We also conveyed to him that yes, we don't have a large rink built but what we do have is elite coaches, skills guys, nutritionists, and sports scientists behind the scenes that can help you grow into the player we think you can become."

Cooley, who said he modeled his game after Patrick Kane growing up, has already heard from Coyotes three-time All-Star Clayton Keller, and said he understands there's a true challenge ahead of him.

He has been training with Canucks forward J.T. Miller and Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck this summer, a pair of centers that combined for 146 points last season. That experience has already taught him how much bigger and faster that next level is, and he's focused on improving his game as he acclimates to the professional ranks.

"It's just little things on the ice, little details of the game, whether it's your shot, different release points, or little things like protecting the puck," Cooley said. "Any time you can go up against one of the best players in the league, train against him and push each other, it's pretty special."

Armstrong said the timing was right for Cooley to join the club, not only because of his lofty accomplishments in the NCAA, but also because the team has potential to play in meaningful games this season. In addition to core players like Keller (who tied the team record in points last season), Nick Schmaltz, Lawson Crouse, Barrett Hayton, Matias Maccelli, J.J. Moser, Juuso Valimaki, and Karel Vejmelka, Arizona's GM made a splash in free agency on July 1, bringing in Nick Bjugstad, Troy Stecher, Jason Zucker, and Alex Kerfoot.

Those additions will help Cooley ease into his rookie season, and Armstrong said he level set expectations for the upcoming year, telling the team's newest signee "the hardest thing you'll ever do in your life is play in the NHL."

"He's going to have some growth ahead of him as far as how the game will change for him," Armstrong said. "He's going to learn to play within that NHL game, and to have success at every level you go to, it changes. We feel he can make those strides this year, and this is the year for him to come in.

"He can pull you out of your seat like he did in college, and he's an electric player."

Though Cooley said he understands the challenge in front of him, he's also excited about what lies ahead.

After all, good things come to those who wait, and the phenom's arrival in the desert is already proof of that.

"To put on an Arizona Coyotes jersey, to represent them, and to help this team eventually get to a Stanley Cup is my goal," Cooley said. "That's everyone's goal that plays in the NHL. They want to win. It's a business now, and I want to contribute every way I can to help the team win the Stanley Cup."