What the Signing of Top Prospect Logan Cooley Means to the Arizona Coyotes

The University of Minnesota may be losing a star on its hockey team, but the Arizona Coyotes are gaining one. Logan Cooley has signed his entry-level contract said to be $950,000 AAV. He had been rumored to go back to the University of Minnesota and continue his college hockey career. Something unknown happened to change his mind, and to the joy of many Coyotes’ fans, he will be in a Yotes’ jersey next season.

Logan Cooley Signs His Entry-Level Contract and Turns Pro

It seemed inevitable that Cooley would eventually sign his ELC and become an NHL player. But, it was questionable that it would be this upcoming season that he would make his NHL debut. With his scoring prowess and determination, the fact that he is turning pro now could be pivotal in the success of the Coyotes’ fortunes going forward.

He was by any account the most dynamic rookie at the Yotes’ rookie camp in Scottsdale. He made plays look simple, and the intrigue of playing in the NHL must have caught up with him as he decided to head to the NHL. The Coyotes can certainly use his offensive capabilities. They are attempting to move their rebuild in the direction of more winning hockey, and the potential of postseason play.

Adding Cooley Certainly Makes the Coyotes More Competitive

It’s official. https://t.co/AU0zMdd8Z9

— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) July 27, 2023

For a LONG time, the Coyotes have been searching for that number-one top center on their roster. They thought they accomplished that when they selected center Dylan Strome back in the 2015 NHL draft. He too was selected third overall as was Cooley. Strome was not very successful after he joined the Arizona club. He only tallied seven goals, nine assists in 48 games. He was eventually traded to the Chicago Blackhawks along with Brendan Perlini for Nick Schmaltz on November 25, 2018. Since then, Strome was moved to the Washington Capitals where he signed as a free agent. He’s really found his game there with an impressive 23 goals, 42 assists in 81 games last season. He was rewarded with a five-year $25 million contract.

So, adding Cooley to the Coyotes lineup sounds impressive, but he still needs to prove himself in the best hockey league in the world. Will he be able to do that, or will he struggle as Strome did? Every player develops at different rates of speed. If Cooley can live up to his college-level playing skills, the Coyotes will be pleasantly rewarded.

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Potential Line Combinations With Cooley

With all signs pointing to Logan Cooley signing with the Arizona Coyotes, we mapped out potential line combinations with #92 in the mix!

Do you agree with us? Reply with what you think the lines could look like!

▶️ https://t.co/trLaDlKSeu
🎧 https://t.co/Y2dZMnpKwU pic.twitter.com/AOjT8TEZmt

— PHNX Coyotes (@PHNX_Coyotes) July 27, 2023

The prospective line combinations for the team show that adding Cooley at center ice on the second line will make the team stronger and more dangerous offensively. Jason Zucker is a proven scorer who bagged 27 goals last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Alexander Kerfoot is a skilled six-year NHL veteran who has tallied 74 goals and 143 assists in 442 NHL contests. The line is solid with Cooley’s adept playmaking skills and two linemates who can feed off of his creativity.

This gives the Coyotes four reliable lines to put on the ice every game. Does it make them more successful? We will need to wait and see once the new 2023-24 campaign commences in October. Most must agree that GM Bill Armstrong has changed gears on his rebuild and intends to make some noise this next season and beyond. Will the addition of Cooley guarantee the Desert Dogs a playoff berth? Probably not, but that is why the games are played.

The Arena Question

Some are pontificating that Cooley wasn’t too keen on signing his ELC after the Tempe arena project failed in a public vote. While that may or may not be true, he must have heard something encouraging about the future of the team to put ink to paper and turn pro. We don’t know if he knows something about the Coyotes’ search for a new arena site or not. What we do know is he will be a dynamic center that the team has been searching for ever since Jeremy Roenick filled that role way back in 1996 thru 2001.

While it is entirely unfair to expect the level of play of a Roenick from Logan Cooley, the potential is there. He has speed, is an excellent skater and makes things happen on the ice. Sure, he just turned 19 years old and will have a learning curve to catch onto the NHL level of play, but he wants it badly, and that is important. Attitude for a young player is everything and he will be mentored by the veterans on the team.

At this point, it doesn’t seem where Cooley laces up his skates, he is ready to show the NHL that he belongs.

And that is excellent and exciting news for all Arizona Coyotes’ fans.