Utah’s Logan Cooley out indefinitely with lower-body injury

The Utah Hockey Club announced Friday that center Logan Cooley is sidelined indefinitely due to a lower-body injury and will be re-evaluated following the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off to be held February 12-20.

Through 50 appearances this season, the sophomore forward has collected 15 goals and 28 assists for 43 points to sit second to captain Clayton Keller in team scoring. Debuting with the former Arizona Coyotes last season, Cooley registered 44 points to finish fourth in rookie scoring league wide and earn a spot on the NHL’s All-Rookie Team at year’s end.

A graduate of the NCAA’s Minnesota Golden Gophers, Cooley was originally chosen third overall by the Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Draft. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., the 20-year-old has also seen success internationally, highlighted by the 2023 World Junior Championship where he headlined the American squad with 14 points counting seven goals and seven assists in seven games and finished second in tournament scoring behind only Canada’s Connor Bedard.

With Cooley sidelined, he joins an extensive injured reserve list in Utah that already counts fellow forward Dylan Guenther as well as defensemen Sean Durzi and Maveric Lamoureux.

On the season, Utah sits 21-21-8 and seven points shy of the Calgary Flames for the second wildcard seed in the Western Conference. After falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime on Wednesday, Utah will look to return to the win column when it hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. The two sides will then close out their season series when they face off next Thursday in Ohio.

Cooley’s injury is the latest news to come out of Utah following an announcement earlier this week that the first-year franchise has shortlisted three team nicknames – the Utah Hockey Club, Utah Mammoth, and Utah Outlaws – as it moves toward finalizing its identity ahead of the coming 2025-26 season. Fans will have an opportunity to vote on the name at Utah’s Delta Center over the next three home games.