Former Sharks Goaltender, Bay Area Native Named NHL's Second Star of the Week

Goaltenders are unpredictable, to say the very least. Former San Jose Sharks goaltender Devin Cooley is often in the headlines for his outlandish but honest postgame interviews and quotes, but now he's being recognized for his play with the Calgary Flames.

Cooley, a 29-year-old Los Gatos native, was a favorite during his very short stint with the Sharks during the 2023-24 season. He only appeared in six games for the team in teal, and didn't steal the show on the ice, but instead did so in front of the media. After a very strong performance against the Seattle Kraken, Cooley went viral for the first time when he said, "Nothing's really gonna matter, we're all gonna die, you know? It sounds a little grim, but it helps keep me grounded."

Then last week, Cooley went viral again by talking about the use of his unconscious mind in an interview with Sportsnet:

Oddly, it seems like Cooley's stellar performance between the pipes has taken a backseat to his personality so far this season, which is a major oddity in the NHL, which is often criticized for a lack of strong personalities.

After two rocky starts at the beginning of the season, Cooley has been dialed in and has won his last three. He saved 34 of 36 shots against the Carolina Hurricanes to get his first win of the season just over a week ago, then allowed just two goals on 68 combined shots against the Minnesota Wild and Detroit Red Wings. That was enough to earn him the NHL's Second Star of the Week.

Cooley, a former San Jose Jr. Shark as well, is thriving in Calgary and is battling another former Jr. Shark, Dustin Wolf, for ice time.