The stage is set for Logan Cooley to thrive in his rookie campaign for the Arizona Coyotes.
Logan Cooley is ready to make his dream a reality.
The 2022 third overall pick is the center of attention for the Arizona Coyotes as he is set for his rookie season. Growing up, Cooley watched some of the NHL’s greats play at the highest level and now he will have the honor of competing against them.
“It's kind of crazy to think about you go from one day watching McDavid, Ovechkin, Crosby on TV and now you're thinking you could be playing against them in a few months. So definitely feel like i’m just a little kid playing hockey but no you're in the NHL. So it's a special moment and happy to be a part of it.”
While Cooley is yet to step on the ice for the Coyotes, expectations are sky high. The 19-year-old center is coming off a fantastic year at the University of Minnesota where he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award after tallying 22 goals, 38 assists and 60 points in 39 games.
The expectations don’t bother Cooley. He holds himself to the highest standard and is expecting nothing short of excellent play once he puts on the Coyotes uniform.
“I'm a guy that's super competitive,” Cooley said. “I've always had high expectations for myself. I'm going in like I want to be an impactful player. That's my goal and I want to help this team win as many games as possible. I want to produce. I want to thrive in this league and I feel like I'm ready to do that.”
To describe Cooley on the ice is complicated. He has a number of strong attributes as a player including his fast skating and soft hands with the puck on his stick. It should be no coincidence which players the young phenom models his game after.
“Guys I liked to watch growing up were Patrick Kane and recently a guy like Jack Hughes,” Cooley said. “He is just similar in size and I think we have similar attributes too. So he’s a guy that's kind of a quick skater like me and is pretty electric too. So those two guys I loved to watch growing up.”
Cooley will play one game in the 2023 Rookie Faceoff in Vegas this upcoming weekend before traveling with the Coyotes to Melbourne, Australia to participate in the team’s first two preseason games against the Los Angeles Kings.
It's an exciting time to be a Coyotes fan as the Cooley show is officially underway.