Among the pleasant surprises among rookies this year, forward Logan Cooley is impressing with the Arizona Coyotes. He was initially set to continue his university program in the NCAA but ultimately changed his mind to join the NHL.
Drafted 3rd overall in 2022 by the Coyotes, Cooley came very close to ending up with the Flyers in Montreal. According to his account, the Flyers tried to move up in the draft, but it fell through at the last minute.
This could have changed the face of the franchise, which had to settle for Cutter Gauthier. It's too early to determine who will be the better player, especially as Gauthier is still playing in the NCAA. But as of today, Cooley is the best forward from this draft, even ahead of Juraj Slafkovsky, who is expected to develop further.
