Utah Mammoth fans could see the switch flip with Logan Cooley this season — starting with a natural hat trick against St. Louis, he’s been scoring about “every 30 seconds” over the last week, according to Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong.
And now we know why.
Prior to that game, the 21-year-old Cooley agreed to terms on an eight-year, $80 million extension with the Mammoth that will see the center stay in Utah for the long haul. That deal was officially signed and announced Wednesday morning, upon the Mammoth’s return from a four-game road trip.
“You could see the weight come off his back,” Armstrong said.
The deal makes the rising star Utah’s highest-paid player and the 22nd-highest paid player in the NHL, earning Cooley an average annual salary of $10 million. That paycheck will represent 9.6% of the cap beginning next season. It’s a significant commitment for such a young player, but Armstrong believes Cooley is the right player for the Mammoth to build around.
“He’s an elite centerman with speed, and they’re extremely rare and extremely hard to find,” Armstrong said. “What makes him unique is his drive and character, his ability to improve with a huge hunger to win.”
Overall, Cooley is off to a terrific start to the season, recording eight goals and four assists — nine of those points coming since the deal was agreed to.
Cooley’s eight-year commitment means he’ll join Mammoth captain Clayton Keller (signed through 2028), winger Dylan Guenther (signed through 2033), and forward JJ Peterka (signed through 2030) as the foundation of the Mammoth’s core moving forward. It’s a group that has already gotten out to a strong start to the NHL season, leading the Central Division.
“We’ve got what we think is the best young core in hockey,” team owner Ryan Smith said.
Negotiations were tough. Earlier this month, hockey insider Frank Seravalli reported that Cooley turned down a big offer from the Mammoth: an eight-year, $77 million extension that would’ve seen Cooley make an average of $9.6 million per year. Cooley’s camp originally wanted an even bigger figure that exceeded the $10 million per year mark.
But ultimately, Cooley wanted to stay in Utah.
“I love it here. It’s the best time I’ve had playing hockey. The fans, the facilities we have are second to none,” Cooley said. “I think just the team we have ... the core we have here, it’s a special group, and I’m excited to add to that.”
The long-term contract also gives Cooley — and the Mammoth — the chance to dream big. A rising salary cap could give them more space to sign other players in the future, perhaps up-and-coming prospects like Caleb Desnoyers, Tij Iginla, and the impressive rookie defenseman Dmitri Simashev.
First on Cooley’s list is buying a house in Utah, staying here for the years to come. What’s next?
“We’ve talked about it a ton — winning a Stanley Cup. That’s why you play this game," Cooley said.
“I think the best in the league, when it’s all said and done, are judged by winning. And that’s what we love to do, that’s what we want to do, and that’s what we’re going to accomplish.”