Not much was known about Devin Cooley when the Flames signed him to a two-year, $775K AAV deal on July 1. He was seen as pure goaltending depth. However, Cooley performed very well in training camp. So much so that there was genuine concern that he would be claimed on waivers.
Luckily, he wasn’t. Goaltending was an unknown/concern for the Flames heading into the year. It certainly isn’t after the first 15 NHL and AHL games.
Cooley is leading the AHL in minutes played among goaltenders at 615:01. Among goalies that have played more than five games, Cooley is tops in the league in both GAA (1.46) and SV% (0.954%). He has three shutouts and is 8–2–0 on the season. His most recent shutout came last night when the Wranglers blanked the Henderson Silver Knights by a score of 3–0.
Cooley looks poised to take an NHL opportunity should it arise
A caveat in the two-year deal that Cooley signed this summer: year two is a one-way deal. Dan Vladar is an unrestricted free agent after the 2023–24 season. If Cooley continues his strong play, the Flames may be able to grab an asset or two for Vladar before the deadline and still feel pretty comfortable with their tandem. Or, they can keep things the way they are and move forward with Cooley next year.
The point is, the goalie performances so far have left the Flames in a pleasant spot for a position that is projected to be the most rigid. The Flames are also in a comfortable spot with Cooley and Dustin Wolf signed through next season (Wolf is signed through the 2025–26 season at an AAV of $850K).
Aside from his incredible on-ice performance so far, Cooley is an easy guy to root for. He’s easily the best hockey player interview out there. He just seems like a super genuine guy.
His stats prior to this year didn’t show any indications of this stellar campaign. Props to the Flames goaltending department for this find.
