Gophers lose hockey star Cooley to NHL’s Arizona Coyotes
Just two months ago, Gophers center Logan Cooley said he intended to return to college hockey next season. The sophomore-to-be reversed course Wednesday, when the Phoenix Coyotes announced they have signed him to a three-year entry-level contract.
Terms were not disclosed.
Cooley, a Pittsburgh native, was chosen No. 3 overall by the Coyotes in the 2022 NHL draft. The second-highest draft pick in Gophers history, he was a finalist for this year's Hobey Baker Award as college hockey's top player and earned all-America honors. Cooley led the NCAA with 38 assists as a freshman last season and was second nationally with 60 points.
During a video news conference in May, Cooley said he wanted to take another run at an NCAA championship with the Gophers. He also noted uncertainty with the Coyotes, whose future in Phoenix is in question after voters rejected proposals to build a new arena for the team.
"I was kind of leaning toward going [pro], but they're both great options,'' Cooley said then. "In the back of my head, I still feel like I have a lot left to do in college hockey. … I want to be part of bringing a national championship back to that great state of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota.''
Cooley is the third Gophers underclassman to sign an NHL contract since the team lost in the NCAA championship game last April. The day after the season ended, the Wild signed junior captain Brock Faber, and Toronto signed sophomore forward Matthew Knies, one of Cooley's linemates.
The third member of Cooley's line, Jimmy Snuggerud, has announced he will return to the Gophers for his sophomore season. Snuggerud was taken 23rd overall by St. Louis in the 2022 NHL draft.
Last season, Cooley and Snuggerud became the highest-scoring freshman duo in Gophers history, combining for 110 points. Snuggerud was the team's second-leading scorer behind Cooley with 50 points.
Cooley said in May that the decision between staying with the Gophers or leaving for the NHL was the hardest he has ever made in his hockey career. At 5-10 and 180 pounds, he said he wanted to get stronger on the ice and still feels "like I have some room to grow.''
He also was dissatisfied with the way his freshman season ended. The Gophers fell 3-2 to Quinnipiac in the NCAA championship game last spring, when Quinnipiac tied the score late in the third period and netted the winner 10 seconds into overtime. Cooley did not have a point in the title game, ending a 16-game point streak.
