Make no mistake, new Coyote Logan Cooley won't be lost in the desert

With his hockey hair spilling out of a new Arizona Coyotes baseball cap and his draft-day fit overlaid by a crisp black No. 22 Kachina jersey, the approachable yet camera-shy Logan Cooley flashed a smile.

"It still feels like a dream," Cooley said Thursday in the bowels of the Bell Centre, mere minutes removed from being selected third in the NHL draft.

Because Cooley didn't go off the board at first or second, and because presumptive top pick Shane Wright immediately became the draft's top story after sliding to fourth, Cooley got lost in the shuffle during the draft in Montreal. He was an afterthought despite being in the running for the No. 1 pick.

Dave Sandford / Getty Images

But, make no mistake, Cooley is no consolation prize.

In fact, he's a foundational piece for Arizona - a 5-foot-10, 174-pound forward who models his game after NHLers Brayden Point and Patrick Kane. Cooley, who led the U.S. National Team Development Program in scoring this past season with 1.47 points per game, is widely considered the most dynamic player in the class. He's an elite skater with new-age flair and plus defending.

"He's exactly what we need, and he has a chance to be a No. 1 center in the National Hockey League," Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said.

"He's the guy you're going to see on highlight reels," NTDP teammate Cutter Gauthier, the No. 5 pick, said of Cooley. And Gauthier's not just pumping his buddy's tires; in April, Cooley pulled off a gorgeous lacrosse-style goal.

With help from Cooley - who sat down with theScore at the NHL scouting combine in June - and a handful of people who know him and his game well, let's take a look at three clips that really illustrate the 18-year-old's skill set.

Clip 1 - Deception and competitiveness

This sequence from a game against the University of Notre Dame displays Cooley's innate ability to process plays at a rate that matches his foot speed.

He receives a pass in the neutral zone and makes a clean zone entry with only one teammate and one opponent in sight. Then, instead of going wide on the defender in a fast-paced two-on-one scenario, he attacks the middle of the ice by changing speeds and directions near the hash marks.

"On the cutback," Cooley said, "I think I threw the defenseman off."

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A toe drag and two sweeping dekes causes the defender to spin away from Cooley and the goaltender to guess on his shot. "I like to be a deceptive player," Cooley said. "Here, I'm looking one way and then doing another thing that they're not exactly expecting."

"One of his greatest attributes," Armstrong said, "is just how he's got an engine. He's really a dynamic skater. He pushes the pace to the middle of the ice and you either have to take him or he dishes the puck."

NTDP teammate Rutger McGroarty calls Cooley "the total package" - someone with wheels, silky hands, a lethal shot, and an edginess not always present in high-skill players. "He's ridiculous, man. He just attacks the game," said McGroarty, noting Cooley isn't afraid to initiate contact himself.

Seamus Casey, another teammate the past two seasons, praises Cooley's competitiveness. "Anytime in practice, if you're battling and you take a puck from him, you better be ready. He'll hunt you down," the defenseman said.

Clip 2 - Speed and smarts

This sequence starts with a teammate shuffling the puck to Cooley on the wing. A few strides later, the forward is zooming past a Finnish defender.

As Cooley carries the puck past the hash marks, his inner Kane takes over. "I was thinking backhand on the shot," Cooley said. "At the last second, the puck was rolling so I tried to get it onto my forehand to throw the goalie off." Kane, the fantastically skilled and improvisational Chicago Blackhawks superstar, is a master of switching from backhand to forehand, and vice versa.

To go short side here, with such little room to maneuver, is impressive.

"Cooley's pretty hard to defend," said first-round defenseman Owen Pickering, who's played against him during international competition. "You've got to always stay between the dots on him. He's a very smart player. You've got to get stick on puck. I never felt overwhelmed, but he was difficult."

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A U.S.-based NHL scout who's familiar with Cooley's game pointed out how the Pittsburgh-area teen has long legs, long arms, and a short torso. This suggests Cooley has room to grow. Could he shoot up an inch or two?

The scout also predicted that adding muscle at the University of Minnesota will only enhance his skating next season and beyond. "Logan's going to get faster. His edges, his glide, his stride - everything is beautiful, his skating is near-perfect. But he doesn't really have any power. It's all graceful mechanics."

"I'm not saying he's Connor McDavid," the scout added. "But we watch all the time how McDavid's moving and playing faster than everybody on the ice. It's incredible and very unique. Well, I think there's going to be times in the NHL where you're going to see Cooley do some similar stuff."

Clip 3 - Vision and creativity

Cooley's a playmaker before he's a scorer, a visionary before he's a finisher. Case in point: in 57 total games against junior, college, and international competition in 2021-22, he racked up 30 goals and 55 assists for 85 points.

As this clip shows, the idea of Cooley shooting causes the defense to misplay the power-play rush. Notice how Cooley's head and legs are in shooting positions as he starts skating downhill. Without fully turning his body, he then feathers a no-look pass to a flanked teammate. Boom, one-timer and a goal.

Again, deception and creativity from Cooley, this time as a distributor.

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Asked if the NHL needs to loosen up and allow for players like lacrosse-goal enthusiast Trevor Zegras to flourish without criticism, Cooley said this: "Yes and no. The NHL's a business and guys are trying to win. You're going to have the vets who play the 'right way' and then you have the Zegrases who are trying the Michigan and trying to score with a shot between their legs. Having a little bit of both in your game can help you become a really impactful player."

In other words, it's about knowing when to lean on the highlight-reel tools and when to rely on a straightforward game - which is something Cooley is still working on, according to the scout. Regardless, he's the type of player who will sell tickets locally (the Coyotes need the help) and on the road.

"When he's physically mature and rolling in his prime," the scout said, "all 17,000 people in the building will be on the edge of their seat watching his every move."

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

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