If Logan Cooley does indeed play for the Arizona Coyotes this upcoming season, he will be a threat to steal the Calder Trophy from Connor Bedard.
It might be the Logan Cooley show in the Valley this upcoming season.
According to PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan, there is momentum toward Cooley signing his entry level contract with the Arizona Coyotes.
If Cooley indeed makes the jump into the NHL this season as currently expected, he could challenge the Chicago Blackhawks 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard for the Calder Trophy.
Yes, some may say that Bedard is the best prospect to enter the NHL since Connor Mcdavid and Sidney Crosby but that doesn't take anything away from Cooley.
Cooley arguably has the most raw talent and skills from all players in the 2022 draft class. The 19-year-old center was selected with the third overall pick by the Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Draft.
This past year, Cooley backed up all the buzz surrounding his name as he was one of the best NCAA hockey players in the country. For the University of Minnesota, Cooley had 22 goals, 38 assists and 60 points in 39 games. He also helped lead his team to the NCAA Championship and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award given to the NCAA top men’s hockey player.
Both Bedard and Cooley should be utilized in similar roles for their respective teams this year if both play in the NHL. The two rising stars already have the potential to be top-six centers in the league and their utilization should only increase as they get more acclimated to professional hockey.
Cooley will also have the opportunity to pair up with Clayton Keller. This will help make the young center a point machine since Keller is an excellent playmaker and scorer. Keller and Cooley’s speed would be difficult for opposing teams to keep up with making them one of the best young duos in the NHL.
Similar to Bedard, Cooley’s elite offensive abilities make him an excellent fit on the Coyotes power play.
Bedard is an outstanding prospect who will most likely see a ton of success this season but it won’t be a one-man race for the Calder Trophy.
Don’t forget about Cooley.