The Nashville Predators have added some goaltending depth to the organization, signing Devin Cooley to a two-year entry-level contract. Cooley went undrafted and spent the last three years netminding at the University of Denver. Instead of returning for his senior year, he’ll be turning pro and jumping into the Predators minor league system.
Now 23, Cooley is a shot in the dark for the Predators given how little he has actually played during his collegiate career. As a freshman in 2017-18 he appeared in just three games as Tanner Jaillet was in the senior season of an excellent run at DU. Jaillet would win NCHC Goaltender of the Year that season, making it difficult for a young Cooley to see any game action. The next year, Denver happened to convince Detroit Red Wings draft pick, Filip Larsson, to play a year of college hockey, just after winning the USHL Goaltender of the Year award. Cooley would play in 20 games to Larsson’s 22, actually posting better numbers than the one-and-done goaltender.
You would think that after such a strong outing that Cooley’s junior season would be when he took over the full-time starting duties, but a lower-body injury just five games into the season opened the door for freshman goaltender Magnus Chrona to take over. Chrona, a Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick, posted a .920 save percentage in 27 games and never gave back the net. Since he is expected to return for his sophomore season (assuming DU has a season), it makes sense for Cooley to take this opportunity in the Predators system.
He enters it though with just 32 appearances under his belt over three years in college. The minor leagues will be quite the test physically, even if Cooley proves he has enough talent to stick.