Logan Cooley looked well on his way to a breakout season that could have put him among the NHL's elite goal scorers. Then one awkward collision changed everything.

On Dec. 5 against the Vancouver Canucks, the 22-year-old crashed into the net left leg first, slamming into the right post. The injury sidelined him for nearly two months and brought a red-hot start to an abrupt halt.

Even with the missed time, Cooley still finished the season with 24 goals and 19 assists for 43 points in just 54 games. At first glance, those numbers might not jump off the page. But the context tells a much different story.

After scoring 25 goals in 75 games during his sophomore season, Cooley took another significant step forward before the injury. On a full 82-game pace, he was tracking toward roughly 36-37 goals, a clear sign that one of the league's brightest young stars is continuing to climb.

The injury also tested him in a way he had never experienced before.

"I think going through that injury made me a lot mentally stronger," Cooley told reporters. "It wasn't the easiest thing. It was my first time dealing with something like that, but as I got through that, (it) definitely helped me build mentally."

That experience could end up paying dividends.

So what can we realistically expect from a healthy Cooley in 2026-27?

His progression has been remarkably consistent. He scored 20 goals in 82 games as a rookie when the Mammoth were still the Arizona Coyotes, averaging 0.244 goals per game. That climbed to 0.333 goals per game after scoring 25 goals in 75 contests during the 2024-25 season, then jumped again to 0.444 goals per game with 24 goals in 54 games this past year.

If Cooley follows a similar developmental curve, a 40-goal season suddenly doesn't feel like a stretch. Based on his upward trajectory, finishing somewhere in the 40-to-44 goal range is a realistic projection. And if his shooting percentage takes another leap while he stays healthy, flirting with the 50-goal mark isn't impossible.

The points could come in bunches, too.

Cooley recorded 40 assists in 2024-25 before posting 19 in an injury-shortened campaign. If his playmaking rebounds while his goal scoring continues to rise, a 90-point season feels attainable, with 100 points entering the conversation if everything breaks right.

The biggest question isn't whether Cooley has the talent. It's whether he can stay on the ice long enough to show just how high his ceiling really is.

How many goals do you think Logan Cooley scores during the 2026-27 season? Let us know your prediction in the comments.