C Logan Cooley - Arizona (2022, 3rd, ARI)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Two-way center. Skates pretty well, has underrated offensive ability, works really hard, and is a good defensive player. He's probably also the best face off man of his NTDP age group. A little undersized. Probably going to be a late first/early second round range player for the 2022 draft. Reminds me of a player like Jake Wise.

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/651538/logan-cooley

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[Luc Poitras]

He's is the best surprise on this team. Think him, Chesley and Leddy are the most consistent players on the team (I'm talking consistency here). He brings it every night he plays. You are spot on with face offs. This team has been underwhelming in that respect, but he makes up for it in spades. He also is the best clutch player on the team. Definitely excels with pressure. If he continues playing like this, I bet he is one of the first off the boards on draft day for NTDP U17 team.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

In a Q/A, Pronman indicated he is the top NTDP guy for 2022 right now.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

Cool name.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Cooley is also getting a lot of opportunity with the older age group, although it's been mixed around and hard to decipher who will be promoted, if anyone, for the WJC18 in May.

I think Cooley is a good player, but I just don't see the obvious standout great skills that some of the other players have. Maybe he's a great intangibles guy, which elevates his profile, like it did with Beniers, but in terms of pure tools and potential I have a really hard time justifying him over a bunch of his teammates.

I'm not sure I see better than a middle six center in the NHL. He's not that big, not that skilled, and not the best skater. Saying that, he works extremely hard, is a very good FO man, and doesn't have any clear weaknesses.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Cooley is also getting a lot of opportunity with the older age group, although it's been mixed around and hard to decipher who will be promoted, if anyone, for the WJC18 in May.

I think Cooley is a good player, but I just don't see the obvious standout great skills that some of the other players have. Maybe he's a great intangibles guy, which elevates his profile, like it did with Beniers, but in terms of pure tools and potential I have a really hard time justifying him over a bunch of his teammates.

I'm not sure I see better than a middle six center in the NHL. He's not that big, not that skilled, and not the best skater. Saying that, he works extremely hard, is a very good FO man, and doesn't have any clear weaknesses.

Can he skate like Beniers?

Just found it interesting Pronman said he’s the guy from that much hyped group.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Can he skate like Beniers?

Just found it interesting Pronman said he’s the guy from that much hyped group.

Likely not, but I don't think he's the exact same type of player as Beniers, more that he's a good talent whose profile is elevated by the intangibles, like a Beniers. And Beniers didn't skate this well when he was a D-2 player either, so its something to keep in mind.

I think it's certainly notable when someone like Pronman mentions that, but I would guess its more from his discussions with NTDP officials than what he's watched. I get the sense that Cooley is the next player NTDP officials really like that isn't some evidently dominant elite talent. Reading this thread already should give anyone a sense of that. He's consistent, he's clutch, he's well rounded, no real weaknesses, works hard, and he has a good amount of talent, so he has the intangibles and even without the intangibles, he has top 2 round talent.

I remember Pronman mentioning often that he doesn't study the D-2 players that closely, and he's also said that he uses the WHC17 for a significant part of his evaluations on those players, which we didn't have this season. I would guess thats not some official take that he'll stick with throughout the draft process as opposed to an initial take with very incomplete information. And I also think opinions on D-2 players are way more volatile than D-1 players. No one really knows that much about these players, and sometimes opinions change a lot on them.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

 

[DatDude44]

Cooleys a stud.
For me it’s Cooley, Mcgroarty, Howard and Nazar leading the way up front for that ‘04 crop with Kaplan and gauthier a tier below with high end sets of tools, still learning how to use em

 

[grentthealien]

Honestly just became aware of him today after reading THG’s Future watch, he was one of their 10 prospects to watch for 2022, they described him as an elite skater that plays a 200 foot game and a potential number 1 centre.

Obviously a lot can change with a player over a year out from their draft but Based on the accounts of him here from the people that have watched him the only thing that seems consistent to what that scout sees is the 200 foot game. Anyone see anything similar in him or is this one scout just particularly high on him? How does he compare to other USA players in the 22 draft class?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Honestly just became aware of him today after reading THG’s Future watch, he was one of their 10 prospects to watch for 2022, they described him as an elite skater that plays a 200 foot game and a potential number 1 centre.

Obviously a lot can change with a player over a year out from their draft but Based on the accounts of him here from the people that have watched him the only thing that seems consistent to what that scout sees is the 200 foot game. Anyone see anything similar in him or is this one scout just particularly high on him? How does he compare to other USA players in the 22 draft class?

Opinions are very split so far.

Some think Cooley is elite. Great two way game, intangibles, hockey sense, very underrated scoring. Top 5-10 type of prospect for 2022.

Others think he's good and a late first/early second type of prospect, but a little undersized and the scoring/skating isn't elite.

The scouts and USAH types seem to be closer to the former group than the latter group. I personally am in the latter camp for now. I'm not going to go with what others have said, if I don't see it myself, but I do acknowledge that there's a good chance he'll belong in the former category.

 

[Fonzieleaf]

Cooley is cool just like me!

 

[turbine]

Well, he got mentioned in THN so he'll definitely be a star just like Nick Ebert, Blake Clarke and Nathan Noel.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Cooley has been really impressive so far in this tournament. I've upped my opinion of his floor, but I'm still not completely sold on his ceiling. At his current size/skating, I don't know that he can stick at center. If he physically grows a little and picks up a step or two in his skating, I think top 10 is possible. At the minimum, you'll get a good winger prospect who projects as a top six winger. I think he's definitely some level of first rounder for next year. His 200 foot game, FO ability, hands and hockey sense are all really good. He reminds me a little of Marco Rossi.

 

[FrodoBeggins]

It is strange that no one writes anything about his participation in the camp of the youth team.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It is strange that no one writes anything about his participation in the camp of the youth team.

Most people aren't watching the tournament. It's not even being shown on TV. You have to have a subscription to Hockey TV, which almost certainly requires a year round subscription, to watch the games in the USA.

Also, you are right that it seems like he's doing well. The only caveats I'd give is that I still don't see him making the WJC team and USA Hockey seems to rate him a little higher than most others do.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Really rooting forward him. He’s a local kid who played all of his AAA in Pittsburgh. Fun fact, he also played with John Gibson’s brother for the Penguins Elite U16 team.

 

[clevelandcane]

I just saw the WJSS games today. Both teams lost of course and the goalies were awful. Anyway...

Cooley was one of, if not the best player for the US today. The kid is a great skater. He's really smooth and has a good handle on the puck. Yes, he's slight, but he fit right in with the older kids and excelled.

I was impressed.

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

Very Good player and top 10 prospect in 2022, imo

 

[AMScouting]

Significant plays from 3 games of Cooley (DY-1):

 

[DOTS13]

Looks like he has excellent passing skills but gets knocked off balance far too easily.

 

[Tube Skates]

Looks a lot like Ehlers in his draft year in those video clips

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Looks like he has excellent passing skills but gets knocked off balance far too easily.

He reminds me a little of Jake Wise, which is good and bad. Wise is very talented, but hasn’t been able to stay healthy. Cooley is currently injured. I have no clue about the severity.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Had a chance to watch him today against Sioux City. I think he’s clearly the best player on the team. He just buzzes out there. His hockey IQ really separates him from the pack. I don’t know what his ceiling is but I think he should definitely be an NHL player.

 

[DatDude44]

He reminds me a little of Jake Wise, which is good and bad. Wise is very talented, but hasn’t been able to stay healthy. Cooley is currently injured. I have no clue about the severity.

That comparison makes zero sense to me. All players are humans, all humans can get hurt playing hockey.

They aren’t remotely similar in any way as hockey players.