When it was announced Arizona Coyotes’ prospect Logan Cooley would be heading back to Bob Motzko’s Minnesota for his second collegiate season, most weren’t surprised. This decision would suddenly eliminate him from the Calder Trophy race in 2023-24, which has loads of skill, all racing for the Rookie of the Year honors. However, after much reflecting, it became clear where Cooley wanted to play. It became clear where general manager (GM) Bill Armstrong wanted him to play. It was in Arizona. It was in a Kachina.
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“Mark my words,” Armstrong said. “When the season begins, Logan Cooley will be wearing a Coyotes jersey.” Even though it wasn’t announced until July 27, Armstrong had a strong sense this would come to fruition, and it did exactly that. But now that Cooley is set to play the NHL’s best each night, where should the bar be set? Well, he is still a rookie; that is something to keep in mind when pondering what he could do this season. However, he’s shown at every level to adapt effortlessly and adjust when needed. The question still remains: will he be able to do that in the NHL in hopes of claiming the holy grail in the Calder Trophy?
Who Are Cooley’s Competitors?
The Calder Trophy race is always a sight to see, as each team’s young stars compete to be the best in their first NHL season. Last season, Coyotes winger Matias Maccelli finished fourth in voting, as Seattle Kraken’s Matty Beniers took home the trophy. Comparing last season’s race to this season, there seems to be much more hype and some could even argue talent. That said, here are some of Cooley’s biggest competitors this season in the Calder race.
Connor Bedard
This is a no-brainer, but the largest threat that has already taken the spotlight is Connor Bedard. He has been classified as a generational talent and even the best prospect to enter hockey since Connor McDavid. He played in the Western Hockey League (WHL) prior to this season with the Regina Pats, setting numerous records totaling 143 points in 57 games. He showed everything and more from a first-overall draft selection, and he was a one-man wrecking crew.
Now, what should be expected from Bedard during his rookie season? For starters, he is playing on the Chicago Blackhawks, one of, if not the worst, team in the NHL, and he’ll be dealing with little to no supporting cast. Although, that could come in handy as he’ll have every opportunity to succeed at the NHL level. In his first two NHL games, he already has two points, which gives him a head start over Cooley and the rest. Bedard is the hands-down favorite to win the Calder right now, but there are still plenty of other prospects who could take the trophy home.
Adam Fantilli
Next up is, yet again, another 2023 Draft selection, this time the Nobleton, Canada native, Adam Fantilli. While he isn’t nearly as skilled as Bedard, he has every tool a team needs in a player. His 6-foot-2 frame drew scouts to him during the drafting process as well as his high hockey IQ. Fantilli played at the highly touted University of Michigan during the 2022-23 season, recording 65 points in 36 games. He also took home the Hobey Baker Trophy as the best player in all of college hockey last season.
Fantilli will be playing for an interesting Columbus Blue Jackets team this season with loads of questions heading into the highly anticipated 2023-24 season. They acquired Ivan Provorov from the Philadelphia Flyers in a blockbuster trade, but it’s uncertain how they’ll do. It’s inevitable that Fantilli will have quite the role with the team, primarily considering he’s just that talented, even at 18 years old. The youngster will have plenty of opportunities under new head coach Pascal Vincent and will be neck and neck in the Calder race.
Luke Hughes
We all know who Jack and Quinn Hughes are—superstar brothers for their respective teams. However, the youngest of the three is making his way up the ranks and is a prime candidate for the Calder Trophy. Last season, Luke Hughes played with Fantilli at the University of Michigan under Brandon Naurato while notching 48 points in 39 games. He was one of the best defensemen in the NCAA and was tied for the most points along with Montreal Canadians prospect Lane Hutson.
Expectations are incredibly high for the New Jersey Devils this season, but what are realistic expectations for Hughes? This Devils team is highly dynamic and each line is a threat, providing offense and defense from all positions. Depending on his role out of the gate, his ice time will increase as the season goes on, but predicting his 2023-24 season stat line is tricky. Either way, he’ll have his eyes set on the Calder like the rest of the rookie class this season.
Of course, these aren’t the only rookies making their debuts this season. Some honorable mentions include Buffalo Sabres netminder Devon Levi, Lukas Reichel, and Matthew Knies. All of them have a chance to get the job done, but they’re more so the underdogs as of now.
Coyotes Have Well-Rounded Team to Help Cooley
Now that we know who Cooley will be competing with for the Calder Trophy, it’s time to discuss how he will do in his first season. Unlike the other rookies this season, he has an abundance of players who can help guide him through his first full season in the NHL. His projected linemates, Jason Zucker and Alex Kerfoot, are both veterans of the game, and this won’t be their first rodeo. Not to mention, All-Star forward Clayton Keller will also be right beside him, even if they aren’t on the same line.
Cooley also will have one of the most underrated coaches in the NHL, Andre Tourigny. Tourigny has unlocked several young players’ abilities, one example of which was with Keller. The St. Louis native struggled mightily under previous head coach Rick Tocchet but then flourished under Tourigny, showing his true potential. He also did this with 2018 fifth overall selection Barrett Hayton, who has removed the bust label and is now looking to be the Coyotes’ first-line center this season.
Cooley has many advantages over his peers, and his teammates are one of them, but with that in mind, what will his stat line look like? Keller has the record for the most points in a rookie season with 65. Is it plausible for Cooley to break that record? It should be, especially considering he is much more dynamic than Keller was when he came into the league and is arguably more talented. Cooley will look to do wonders for the Coyotes this season and, of course, take home the Calder Trophy.
“I’m super competitive,” he said. “I’ve always had high expectations for myself going to the hockey rink. I want to help this team win as many games as possible. I want to contribute to the team in any way possible, but yeah, I do want to put up big numbers, I do want to compete every night and I want to win the Calder Trophy. The reason I turned pro is because I felt ready to take the next step and I’m confident in my abilities to do those things that I want to accomplish this year.”
Sky Is the Limit For Cooley
Cooley is arguably one of, if not the best, prospect the Coyotes have ever had. They’ve had their share of top draft selections, but the hype around Cooley is real. Usually, rookies have their highs and lows, which is expected with the 19-year-old, as almost every NHL player faces adversity and struggles early in their career. While there’s hope he doesn’t deal with too much of it, it’s bound to happen. The Coyotes take on the Devils today at 7 pm Eastern Time (ET), looking to get off to a hot start and begin the season on the right foot.
