The 24-year-old was watching "The Bourne Supremacy" when he found out he'd be headed to the NHL.
ARLINGTON, V.A. -- It was movie night at NCAA Div. III netminder Reid Cooper's Massachusetts apartment on Tuesday, where he and his roommates were a little bit of the way through "The Bourne Supremacy."
Then, his phone lit up; it was a call from the Washington Capitals' director of player recruitment, Danny Brooks.
Cooper had never heard from Brooks, though once he heard his name and who he was calling with, he knew what was coming. He'd seen it on TV over these final games: goaltenders coming up to the NHL on amateur tryouts. And now, it's Cooper's turn, as he'll be Darcy Kuemper's second chair in the Capitals' season finale against the New Jersey Devils with Charlie Lindgren out with injury.
"Hopped right off my couch and went from there," Cooper said, noting, "I saw it happening with Toronto there and I guess same thing happened [with the] Caps. I saw Lindgren went down [against Boston], and then I got the call.
"I mean, you see it happen every once in a while and you see how lucky those guys are and then it just kind of happened to be me," he added. "Just really thankful. Can't thank the Caps [enough] for this opportunity."
The 24-year-old played 27 games with the NCAA's Division III Curry College this season, going 20-6-1 with a .935 save percentage. He also played three years at Robert Morris University.
His phone has been blowing up as he's from a D3 netminder to an NHL backup in a span of under 48 hours, and while he's grateful for the opportunity, he also hopes it's a sign of things to come with regard to his career.
"My dream has always been to play in the NHL. I guess we'll go from here, this is obviously a great opportunity, but we'll see what happens throughout the summer," Cooper said.
Cooper, who will wear 97 for D.C., first joined the team for the first time for Thursday's morning skate. It involved a lot of handshakes and nerves, though fellow Saskatoon native and longtime friend Darcy Kuemper helped calm him down as he strapped on his Curry College-colored pads.
While soaking in his first NHL practice, he got the full Capitals experience; after all, the first shot he faced was from no other than captain Alex Ovechkin.
"I wanted him to go as hard as he could," Cooper laughed. "I stopped it. Cuff of my glove."
Washington closes out the 2022-23 campaign against New Jersey, and though the team is not playing for the playoffs, there is still something on the line as the game will determine first-round opponents for those teams making the postseason.
Still, there is a possibility that "Coop," as head coach Peter Laviolette referred to him, could get some time in net if things play out just right. And for the young netminder who looked up to Roberto Luongo and fell in love with the position at 6, it would be the experience of a lifetime.
"Popped into my head," he smiled. "I'll be ready, we'll see."