Sidney Crosby helped Logan Cooley get into hockey. Tonight these two players go head-to-head as the Coyotes take on the Penguins.
The Arizona Coyotes are set to play the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at PPG Paints Arena in what will be a special game for Logan Cooley.
The 2022 third overall pick was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area, so for the first time in his young NHL career, Cooley gets to play in front of his hometown fans.
Cooley grew up at around the same time that the Penguins were winning Stanley Cups with the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.
“There are some guys that I looked up to on that team,” Cooley said. “Whether it be Crosby, Malkin, all those guys that have done some special things in this League. To be able to go against them and compete against a guy like Crosby, one of the best players in the League, it’s going to be a dream come true.”
Not only was Crosby on Cooley’s TV screen but the Pittsburgh native actually attended Crosby’s “Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey” program when he was five-years-old. This is ultimately a huge reason why Cooley is still playing hockey today.
“It’s super special,” Cooley said. “For me, it’s when I first fell in love with the game. When I first stepped on that ice, I knew I loved it and wanted to do something special with it.
“It was super fun to have a guy like Crosby kind of get me started with the game. … I do remember he was out on the ice sometimes. I just remember having so much fun.”
Through the first 27 games of the season, Cooley has three goals, 12 assists and 15 points. The 19-year-old rookie has shown flashes of what he can do offensively as he possesses tremendous speed and puck handling abilities.
Now he will get to put all of that on display in an arena that he grew up going to as a little boy which is every kids dream thriving to play professional hockey.
“I think you always think about that,” Cooley said. “Any kid playing hockey when they’re little, they always dream about playing in the NHL. Obviously, going to Pens games when I was little, I always wanted to be out on the ice, whether it was with the Penguins or with a different team. It’s finally starting to come true. I’m really looking forward to it.”