- It would take an extreme situation for Logan Cooley's value to drop.
- An extra year of experience could give him the chance to prove himself as a superstar, rather than just a good player.
- Comparable players around the league got paid more when they signed at older ages.
No matter what happens, Logan Cooley is about to become an extremely rich man — he and his family will have the means to live comfortably for generations — but his plan of attack when it comes to his next contract negotiation will determine just how many beach houses and supercars he can afford.
On July 1, the 21-year-old became eligible to sign for up to eight years. He still has one year remaining on his current deal, so there’s no reason for Utah Mammoth fans to worry.
With that in mind, here’s why he should highly consider not signing until next spring.
Time is on Cooley’s side
Utah Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong subscribes to the evermore popular theory that when you believe in a young player, you should sign him as soon as you can for as long as you can. That’s because elite, young players tend to get better every year, so if you can lock them up before they really take off, you can get them at a discount.
Armstrong’s most notable example of this was Dylan Guenther, whom he gave an eight-year deal before even playing a full NHL season. Some people in the hockey world scoffed at that contract, saying the team had jumped the gun by signing a player with just two half-seasons under his belt. But after an excellent 2024-25 season, Guenther ended up on The Athletic’s list of the 10 best contracts in the league.
Cooley already has two full NHL seasons behind him. He’s among the youngest full-time players in the league and he’s already close to a point per game (and his defensive game is elite, too). Once he catches up to his competition in age, experience and stature, he could very well be a top-10 player in the league.
There’s no question he could sign in the $8-9 million range right now, but what could he get if he waited a while?
It would take an absolute dud of a season (or a major injury) for Cooley’s value to decrease at all, so the risk in betting on himself is low. If he’s above a point per game a few months into the season, he’ll have a case to ask for more money, and if he accomplishes big things over the course of a full season, maybe he’s in a position to get real superstar dough.
How will the new NHL CBA affect Logan Cooley’s contract?
The new NHL collective bargaining agreement, which comes into effect Sept. 16, 2026, limits team’s own free agents to seven-year terms on new contracts. It also limits incoming free agents to six-year deals.
That won’t affect Cooley’s contract, though, as the deadline for anyone to sign for eight years is June 30 of the year his previous contract expires (2026, in Cooley’s case). If his negotiation goes past that date, he’ll only be able to get seven years, regardless of the new CBA.
Where the CBA will affect him, however, is the rising salary cap. It’s set to go up $25.5 million over the next three seasons, which likely means players will get significant raises. A player in the $7 million range today is a first-liner, but three years from now, that’s probably the salary of a middle-six forward.
For that reason alone, Cooley’s contract should be worth more than those of comparable players who signed last year or earlier.
It’s still to be determined what the upper echelon of salaries will be. The highest-paid player for the upcoming season is Leon Draisaitl at $14 million, but with the likes of Connor McDavid, Cale Makar and Kirill Kaprizov due for renewals just as the cap starts rising, that number could go much higher.
The trickle-down economics could affect Cooley because once that top tier of players figure out what they’re worth, the next tier, which includes Cooley, will know the salary range they should request.
Logan Cooley’s comparable contracts
A key component of any contract negotiation is finding examples of comparable players and then making a case as to why you deserve the same amount of money. Here are a few that Cooley’s camp might consider.
For comparison, in 2024-25, his 20-year-old season, Cooley tallied 25 goals, 40 assists and 65 points in 75 games.
Elias Pettersson
20-year-old production: 27G, 39A, 66P in 68GP
Current contract: 8 years, $11.6 million AAV (signed at age 25)
Elias Pettersson hasn’t been the league’s most consistent player throughout his career, but his low points likely have more to do with off-ice obstacles than natural ability. When he’s at his best, there are few in the world that can match him.
The defensive side of Pettersson’s game has always been pretty good, which is part of what makes him a good comparison for Cooley. Top two-way centers are hard to find, and they’re paid accordingly.
It’s important to note that Pettersson signed this deal at age 25 after taking a three-year bridge deal at 22. Part of the reason he got paid so much was because he was already a proven superstar. With the limit coming to contract terms in September 2026, Cooley would probably be best not to take that route.
Alex Barkov
20-year-old production: 28G, 31A, 59P in 66GP
Current contract: 8 years, $10 million AAV (signed at age 26)
Speaking of elite two-way centers, there might not be a better one than Alex Barkov. It would be a stretch to compare anyone to Barkov defensively, but if Cooley can become even half of what he is at that end of the ice while maintaining his offensive production, he’ll be a top player in the league.
Barkov took a six-year deal at age 21, which quickly turned into one of the best contracts in the league. His current contract, like Pettersson’s, was given to a bona fide superstar — not one that was just budding.
Jack Hughes
20-year-old production: 26G, 30A, 56P in 49GP
Current contract: 8 years, $8 million AAV (signed at age 20)
Remember that 10 best contracts list from The Athletic? Jack Hughes was at the top of it. Like Guenther, he signed before most people thought he’d earned it, but when he started playing like a superstar, his GM looked incredibly intelligent.
Hughes is among the most dynamic players in the league — a characteristic that Cooley has shown at times, too. He’s the owner of one of the best (and truest) recorded chirps in NHL history: “People pay to watch me play.”
It probably won’t be long before people start buying tickets specifically to see Cooley play.
Jack Eichel
20-year-old production: 25G, 39A, 64P in 67GP
Current contract: 8 years, $10 million AAV (signed at age 20)
Another elite two-way center, Jack Eichel might be Cooley’s closest statistical and stylistic comparison.
The 2024-25 season marked his first 90-point season, but even when he’s not scoring at a superstar level, Eichel provides enough to his team that his $10 million contract is never questioned. He was the first $10 million player to win the Stanley Cup in the salary cap era.
Why the Mammoth should try to sign Cooley immediately
As mentioned, Cooley is projected to only get better. The Mammoth would be best served by locking him up as soon as possible.
But there’s more to the equation for management than simply saving cash. The sooner they know how much money they have to commit to Cooley, the sooner they can shift their focus to building the team around him.
Barrett Hayton, for example, will likely get a raise and a long-term contract once Cooley signs. Nick Schmaltz’ deal is also expiring, and while there’s no guarantee that he’ll stick around, Mammoth management surely wants to know how much they can offer him — and that hinges upon Cooley’s AAV.