Pittsburgh native and rising NHL star Logan Cooley has ‘found a home' with Utah

New York Times

29-01-2025

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — In the past three years, Logan Cooley has gone from playing for the U.S. National Team to playing at the University of Minnesota, then in Arizona for a year and now, finally, in Salt Lake City.
It's been a whirlwind. Truth be told, it's probably been a little overwhelming. One wouldn't know this from observing Cooley around his teammates, however. All of 20 years old, Cooley has emerged not only as a leader of the Utah Hockey Club but also as a blossoming superstar.
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In his second NHL season and his first in Utah, Cooley is coming of age. He's produced 15 goals and 42 points in 49 games, playing at a significantly higher level than his very impressive rookie campaign.
'This kid,' said John Marino, 'is going to be a star in this league for a long time.'
Many of his teammates know a thing or two about stars. Marino, Ian Cole, Olli Maatta, Robert Bortuzzo and Nick Bjugstad all played with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh. They are probably able to identify stars better than most.
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When they speak of Cooley, they all shake their heads.
'He reminds me of a young Nathan MacKinnon,' Cole said. 'He's just very, very good, and he keeps getting better … You combine his explosiveness and his hands with how quickly he processes information on the ice? Then consider what kind of a human being he is, which is wonderful. Then consider that he's only 20? Yeah. Superstar.'
LOGAN COOLEY IS FASTER THAN YOU! 🫵 pic.twitter.com/LeTggcbq9V
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) January 21, 2025
Cooley is quiet but has a presence about him that is very clear in the Utah locker room. Veterans don't defer to him, but they don't treat him like another 20-year-old because, truthfully, he isn't one of those.
It's becoming clear that Cooley is the player that will guide this franchise for a long time. After the fiasco in Arizona that served as Cooley's introduction to the NHL, this has been a welcome change.
'I love it here,' Cooley said. 'The ownership, the fans, it's all been so great. And honestly, just knowing we're still going to be in Utah next year after what it was like last year, that's a good feeling. It makes you more comfortable and helps you play better when you don't have to worry about all of that other stuff.'
Cooley remains a Pittsburgh kid to the core. He jokes about being a kid watching teammates Cole and Maatta win the Stanley Cup for the Penguins. He reminisces about growing up in West Mifflin Pa. and eating at Murph's Pub when he'd be at Rostraver Ice Garden.
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You can't take the Pittsburgh entirely out of the kid, but make no mistake, he feels at home in Utah. In its first season in Salt Lake City, the Utah Hockey Club plays before sellout crowds in the Delta Center and a region that is synonymous with outdoor sports appears to be falling in love with its hockey team.
In Cooley, the franchise possesses a young star it can build around.
'He's improved from even the beginning of the season until now is incredible,' Cole said. 'Seriously, every part of his game is elevated now compared to where it was in October. You can just see it. I believe, before too much longer, he is going to be a bona fide superstar in this league. I mean that. He's that good.'
Cooley's physical skills are plenty electric. He's fast, he's a pure goal scorer, he sees the ice better at a noticeably high level and he's stronger than he looks, his teammates will tell you. What's noteworthy about him, however, is that his teammates prefer to speak of his intangibles even though his physical gifts are considerable. That, they believe, is what will elevate his status even higher and make him a true star in Utah and around the league.
'He's an incredible kid,' Marino said. 'You won't hear anyone here say a bad word about him. He has a different kind of work ethic, too. You don't always see that with guys as young as him, but he's got it.'
There is a noticeable maturity to Cooley in the way he speaks, the way he converses with his teammates and his dealings with fans. Everyone in the Utah organization gushes about him.
'I think the poise and maturity that he has at his age is a really big deal,' Cole said. 'That's a big thing. He's just got all of these mental tools, which is great. Sure, the physical skills are important. We all know that. But you need the mental tools to thrive in this league, especially, I think, if you want to be a star. And he's got it. Plus, you never have to worry about him off the ice. He's smart, a good kid. No one will ever have to worry about him.'
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André Tourigny, Utah's coach, clearly believes the sky is the limit.
He sees Utah's youngest player getting better every day. Literally.
'His 200-foot game is really, really good,' Tourigny said. 'It's about consistency. But he is more consistent than he was a year ago. He's more consistent than he was two months ago. He still keeps growing. I think he's very competitive. he controls his emotions much better now. When he gets emotional, he has a tendency to (struggle). But he's pretty consistent in that way now.'
Cooley has scored six goals in January yet for the first time all season, he's gone three games in a row without producing a point.
Facing the Penguins' struggling defense might be just what he needs.
Or, according to his teammates, maybe he doesn't need any help at all. Sometimes, you're just that good.
'Skill level is off the charts,' Marino said. 'I mean, he's just special. Really, really special.'
Cooley said the game has slowed down in his second NHL season, which could mean big trouble for the rest of the league.
'See, I like to use my speed,' Cooley said. 'Last year, though, I think I did that too much. I was doing everything too fast, instead of letting the game come to me a bit. I'm starting to learn that about myself this season.'
Cooley was plenty good as a rookie, racking up 20 goals and 44 points.
This season, though, is something entirely different.
'I just feel so good about myself and my game,' he said. 'And I really do feel like I've found a home.'