TEMPE, Ariz. — Logan Cooley signed his entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes on July 27, about two months after the 19-year-old announced he would be returning to the University of Minnesota for his sophomore year.
Drafted third overall in 2022, many have Cooley pegged as the top prospect to come out of that draft class.
It's an earlier than expected arrival in the desert, and could push the Coyotes not only into NHL relevance but also into playoff contention much earlier than expected, according to Matthew Jacobson of Locked on Coyotes.
"I project - and I stand by it - the Coyotes will look like a playoff team at times but they're not going to make the playoffs. However, you add Logan Cooley, and if he's as good as advertised, you might hold on to a wild card spot for a couple weeks. You might look a little better for a little longer. It still won't be a playoff year, but they're getting closer."
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Cooley ranked second in the NCAA with 60 points in 39 games for the Golden Gophers in 2022–23. He also led Minnesota to the National Championship game and was named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to the nation’s top men’s ice hockey player.
He'll now join a Coyotes team that is gathering some impressive pieces up front, including 2021 first-round pick Dylan Guenther.
Cooley is penciled in to become the Coyotes' top line center, but that could change if - and it's a big if - Arizona can somehow entice Auston Matthews to come home as an unrestricted free agent next summer.
If not, they still have Barrett Hayton and Connor Geekie to build around down the middle, and some solid wingers like Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, Matias Maccelli and Lawson Crouse to help bring them along.
Cooley, by the way, could very well end up challenging Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks in the rookie of the year race this season. He is that good.
The back end still has some question marks but there is no doubt the Coyotes are a team on the rise, and there is perhaps more reason for excitement than ever in Arizona.
Now, if only they could secure a permanent home.