Here is a reasoning behind Logan Cooley's decrease in minutes with the Coyotes and why there is so reason to panic.
What is going on with Logan Cooley’s minutes?
While the 2023 third overall pick is averaging 16:07 minutes a game which on the surface doesn't look bad, his playing time has seemed to decrease throughout the start of the season.
Over the first few games of the year, Cooley was logging in almost 20 minutes a game which is fantastic for a rookie forward.
However, three out of the past four games, Cooley has failed to record over 15 minutes and is beginning to play fourth line minutes.
Why is this all happening?
This is in no way a punishment from coach André Tourigny by any means. Cooley is a young player who is still getting acclimated to NHL play.
It’s very normal for rookies to go through these kinds of growing pains. It’s clear that Tourigny doesn't just want to throw Cooley out there. He wants the young center to learn and process as much as possible which sometimes means having to sit on the bench.
Cooley has shown flashes of his speed and offensive potential but Tourigny sees more than just that. Developing into a legit two-way center is what Tourigny is focused on with Cooley.
Some may say that Tourigny is putting Cooley on a ‘short leash’ but it just comes with the territory. As a coach, he is not just going to put Cooley in situations that he is not ready for. That would be doing a disjustice to the team and Cooley’s development.
Eventually though, Cooley will have to show further improvement and more comfortability at the NHL level which will lead to an increase in minutes.
The Coyotes are still in the midst of their rebuild so there is no reason to rush Cooley’s development. It’s all about patience and in time, he will prove to be an extremely valuable piece for Arizona.