Mammoth hope to extend Cooley this summer: 'One of the most dynamic young players in the NHL'
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The Utah Mammoth are locking to lock in Logan Cooley long-term this summer after he became eligible to sign an extension on July 1.
Cooley, 21, is entering the final season of his entry-level contract after opening his NHL career with two impressive seasons.
Selected third overall in the 2022 draft, Cooley posted 25 goals and 65 points in 75 games last season. That came after he finished with 20 goals and 44 points in 82 games as a rookie in 2023-24.
“He’s an important part and an important piece in the future of this franchise," Mammoth president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said Thursday. "He’s one of the most dynamic young players in the NHL, certainly one we think is a future star in this league and we want him to be a star for the Utah Mammoth.
"We’ve had great conversations with his representatives, we’ll continue that dialogue through the rest of the summer and hope that we can get something done ahead of the season.”
A native of Pittsburgh, Cooley joined the Arizona Coyotes in 2023 after spending one year at the University of Minnesota, where he posted 22 goals and 60 points in 39 games.
Talks continue with RFA McBain
Armstrong also revealed Thursday that the Mammoth continue to hold conversations with restricted free agent Jack McBain and hope to have a deal signed soon.
McBain, 25, is coming off a career-best season in which he posted 13 goals and 27 points in 82 games. He spent the year playing out the last of a two-year deal carrying a $1.6 million cap hit
“I think we’ve had great dialogue with Jack and his representatives. We made it very clear that he’s an important part of our future and we felt that he believes he’s an important part of our future," Armstrong said. "We’ll continue to work on that, we’re in active conversations with his representatives, and we hope we can get that done as quickly as possible.”
Selected in the third round of the 2018 draft by the Minnesota Wild, McBain has spent his entire NHL career with the Mammoth/Coyotes franchise.
The Toronto-born centre has 35 goals and 82 points in 241 career games while also accumulating 198 penalty minutes.
Utah adds veterans Tanev, Schmidt
The Mammoth picked up two veterans in free agency in forward Brandon Tanev and defenceman Nate Schmidt.
The team's management has consistently stated their desire to return to the playoffs in 2026, and Schmidt coming off a Stanley Cup championship with the Panthers.
Armstrong credited a strong first season in Salt Lake City with helping lure in talent.
“A lot of that credit actually goes to our fans and the community, and how well this team was embraced in its inaugural season," Armstrong said. "People seeing that energy from the outside, watching our games on TV, and following our team. I think it also means what we’re doing is working, but that we have a lot more work to do to continue to put ourselves in positions to attract the free agents that we think can make us better. That is the art and science, if you will, of free agency.
"It’s very rare that you’re looking at a player that several teams are not also looking at. So, what are your points of differentiation and for us, I think a player like Brandon (Tanev) sees the youth and energy, the trajectory of this team. He has experience and was very complimentary to his time with (head coach André Tourigny) with Team Canada. So, for a player like him, I think he knows the role and the impact that he can have here and that gets him excited.”
The Mammoth also trade forward Matias Maccelli to the Toronto Maple Leafs before the start of free agency in exchange for a 2027 conditional third-round pick.
The draft pick will upgrade to a 2029 second-round draft selection if Maccelli records at least 51 points during the 2025-26 campaign and Toronto also qualifies for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Maccelli, 24, recorded eight goals and 18 points in 55 games with Utah last season.