Devin Cooley is fighting to prove he is an NHL goaltender, but he already proved he's one of the best interviews around.
If there are two things Calgary Flames fans now know after a strong preseason performance by Devin Cooley on Monday night: he's got the makings of being a pretty good goaltender and he's a hilarious interview.
An excited and personable Cooley spoke with the media after showing incredibly well in a win over the likes of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and other Oilers stars.
The following was an actual quote from Cooley's post-game scrum: "That's kinda why I came here, is to show that I don't suck that much and hopefully I can help this team get some wins in the regular season."
Cooley and his Flames took on a stacked Oilers roster in a split preseason game in Edmonton. They came away with a 6-3 win. Cooley noted that the team came into the game as an underdog, which he said basically explains his entire career. He called it the best feeling ever when you prove somebody wrong and said there are no expectations so you just come out and play as hard as you can.
Cooley played the full game and allowed three goals on 47 shots, good for a .936 save percentage.
Can Cooley Earn Some Looks This Season With the Flames?
Cooley is playing for a spot in Calgary this season as the Flames don't necessarily have a guaranteed starter. The team is hoping Dustin Wolf is going to take the reins and prove he's capable of 55-60 starts, but there isn't a guarantee of that and the backup position will be critical for the organization in what is being labeled a transition season.
Cooley will be battling it out with Dan Vladar and is hoping to make the team. He has six total games on his NHL resume, all with the San Jose Sharks. Considering how much the Sharks struggled last season, that wasn't exactly the best situation to prove he's capable of regular duty.