Utah Hockey Club forward Logan Cooley discusses his pending free agency following the end of the club's inaugural season. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Utah Hockey Club center Logan Cooley is still a year away from free agency, but a contract extension with the club is a possibility this summer.
The Utah HC held exit interviews on Thursday, April 17, following a 38-31-13 inaugural season record that missed the playoffs.
“July 1st is the date you can start talking (contract extension),” Cooley said on KSL Sports Zone when asked about potential negotiations. “For me, I’m not trying to think about it too much. Just trying to reflect on the season and everything that happened. The rest will kind of take care of itself… It’s an exciting time, and Utah is a place that I love and for sure want to be.”
In his second NHL season, Cooley showed playmaking chops and a flair for the spectacular any time he touched the puck. He set career-highs with 25 goals and 40 assists, topping his rookie points mark of 44. He scored seven power-play goals and added two game-winners to his already burgeoning resume.
Cooley’s ice time increased to 17:52, third behind Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz for forwards.
Cooley is a 20-year-old center from Pittsburgh, PA. As a Pittsburgh native, Cooley got his start in hockey as a participant in Sidney Crosby’s Little Penguins Program.
When asked about a possible contract extension this offseason Logan Cooley did tell us that this is a place he likes and hopes to be for a while.#UtahHC @kslsports pic.twitter.com/rLrMiTfmga
— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_TV) April 17, 2025
“I was the first to do the Crosby program. I don’t remember too much because I was around 4 years old,” Cooley told ESPN. “They gave you free equipment, the chance to skate around and have fun out there. That’s what I really remember. And then any time you had Crosby out there and you learn from one of the best players in the world, that’s pretty cool at such a young age.”
Later in his junior career, Cooley took the National Juniors by storm for the United States, stealing away some of the headlines from eventual 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard. In just five games, Cooley had five goals and six assists, second only to Bedard in the tournament.
Logan Cooley’s thoughts on eventually winning a Stanley Cup in Utah: “That’s what you play for. That’s what you train for in the summer. It’s something that everyone wants to do & accomplish.”
“We want to bring a Stanley Cup here & that will be pretty special one day.” pic.twitter.com/fVYKusorxT
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 17, 2025
After cementing his name at the World Juniors, Cooley then committed to play college hockey at the University of Minnesota, where he scored 22 goals and registered 38 assists in 39 games during the 2022-23 season.
While he initially committed to play for the Golden Gophers for the 2023-24 season, Cooley had been selected third overall by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Draft and was given an incredible opportunity to demonstrate his skills at the highest level for the Coyotes last year.
After wowing the coaching staff in training camp, Cooley was given his shot with the Coyotes last season and did not look back as he made the opening day roster. From there, Cooley exploded in terms of production, finishing the season with 20 goals and 24 assists, which earned him a spot on the NHL’s All-Rookie Team.
Logan Cooley on Utah becoming a consistent playoff contender: "When we're on, we're one of the top teams in the league. When we're not, it's pretty ugly."
"I think finding consistency and finding ways to make sure we have it every night."
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) April 17, 2025
Cooley is a wizard with the puck. His puck-handling skills are top-notch, and the way he moves his body allows him to do things that very few others are capable of. He can also put the puck in dangerous areas consistently and can light the lamp in a myriad of ways. He picks his spots, he crashes the net, and finds different ways to find the back of the net.
Utah Hockey Club games can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on the KSL Sports app or 97.5 and 1280 The Zone.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Hockey Club insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. Listen to Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
Find sports.ksl.com coverage of the Utah Hockey Club here.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
