Logan Cooley's sends a clear message that he is hungry and determined to win the Calder Trophy.
The Arizona Coyotes may have a star on their hands.
Logan Cooley was drafted by the Coyotes with the third overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The expectations are high for Cooley but he also expects big things from himself going into his rookie year.
“I’m super competitive,” Cooley said via PHNX’s Craig Morgan. “I’ve always had high expectations for myself going to the hockey rink. I want to help this team win as many games as possible. I want to contribute to the team in any way possible, but yeah, I do want to put up big numbers, I do want to compete every night and I want to win the Calder Trophy. The reason I turned pro is because I felt ready to take the next step and I’m confident in my abilities to do those things that I want to accomplish this year.”
The 19-year-old was nothing short of spectacular during the Coyotes first preseason game Friday night in Australia against the Los Angeles Kings. He made a statement in the second period scoring a highlight-reel goal that left everyone at Rod Laver Arena in awe.
Cooley had an incredible preseason debut but his work is far from over. Prior to his goal, the rookie turned over the puck leading to a Kings goal. Some young players would let a mistake like that ruin their game but not Cooley.
“He showed that he learned,” Coach André Tourigny said. “He learned what to not do and at the same time he showcased what he can do.”
The Calder Trophy won’t be an easy award to win by any means for Cooley. The Chicago Blackhawks rookie phenom Conor Bedard is widely considered the favorite to win this award.
However, both Cooley’s words and actions on the ice sent a clear message that he should not be counted out.