Imagine getting a $9 million raise at age 21.
Well, Logan Cooley’s year-over-year salary jump is actually $9,050,000, but the extra $50K almost seems negligible at that point.
“It’s been kind of a crazy journey, and doesn’t even feel real still sometimes,” Cooley said at a Wednesday morning press conference where he, Utah Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong and team owner Ryan Smith gathered to formally announce the contract extension.
Cooley, who briefly held the league lead in goals on Tuesday, has a simple goal in mind for the next eight years.
“Winning the Stanley Cup,” he said. “That’s why you play this game. ... When it’s all said and done, (you’re) kind of 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 do.”
“The Kid Line” has a knack for good starts: all eight of Cooley’s goals this season have come in the first period.
“I think it’s just how (much) fun we have, coming to the rink every day. It’s obviously a long year, there’s a lot of ups and downs, but I think the group we have, it’s just such a joy to compete with, to be around, whether it’s dinners, hanging out,” he said of the team.
Guenther and Peterka had previously signed long-term extensions, meaning the line could stay intact for years if things keep going well for them. Seeing what they’ve done in 11 games, just think where they could be by 2030, when Peterka’s deal expires.
Oh, and the three players combined will make less than $25 million a year — about 22% of the projected cap by 2027-28.
“I’m excited to be with this group for a while,” Cooley said.
He’s not particularly focused on individual accolades or long-term goals.
“For me, it’s just about taking it day by day, year by year,” he said. “I’m not a guy that likes to look too (far) ahead. I like to stay in the moment and for right now, my focus is on this year.”
“He’s an elite centerman with speed. They’re extremely rare and extremely hard to find,” Armstrong said.
Utah’s first line, which consists of Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton, should be Armstrong’s next item of business. Schmaltz and Hayton don’t have contracts past the end of this season, and while Keller still has two years left after this one, it’s apparent that he’ll be due for a major raise.
PuckPedia lists $27,707,143 in projected cap space for the Mammoth next year, though the list of players needing contract extensions includes much more than just Schmaltz and Hayton.
Contract values are among the most important factors in building a winning team in the current era of the NHL. The ability to lock up your top players at good numbers is just as important as the ability to draft well.
The Florida Panthers are the gold standard in that regard. They’re the defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, yet they don’t have a single player among the top 15 highest salaries in the league. Of course, the fact that there’s no state tax in Florida helps — five of the last six champions have come from states without state taxes.
What does Logan Cooley like about Utah?
You don’t have to look hard to find quotes from Mammoth ownership or management talking about how much the players love Utah, but when the players say it themselves, it means a little more.
“I love it here,” Cooley said in his opening statement. “It’s the best time I’ve had playing hockey. The fans, the facilities we have are second to none.”
