Cooley's Perseverance: Masterton Nominee

0:00On April 8th, Calbury flames goalie Devon Cooley just got nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial trophy by the local hockey riders. At 28th he's finally a full-time NHL player after years of grinding through the minors. The award honors perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game, named after Bill Masterton who tragically died from on-ice injuries back in. 1968 Cooley's path was no smooth ride. He started with rough stats in junior leagues at the USHL, walked on his third string at the University of Denver, and bounced around pro minors for. Four seasons before a brief debut with San Jose last year. Signing with Calbury as a free agent, he dominated in the AHL until a concussion in January through everything off. That head injury hit him hard mentally and on the ice. He felt like a ghost forcing himself to play as a starter, but spiraling deeper. It took a mindset shift to reclaim his love for hockey, realizing he controlled his outlook. Now he's grateful it happened, saying

1:02it shaped who he is today. This season Cooley beat out for the backo spot behind Dustin Wolf, posting top stats league-wide. The flames locked him up with a two-year extension early on, rewarding his comeback story in his sixth pro year. Flames fans see echoes of past heroes like Lanny McDonald and Gary Roberts, who won the Masterton before. Finalists drop later this spring, but Cooley's journey already proves, good things come to those who persevere. I'm Corey with the story, and you've been listening to Calgary Flames News today, AI Power Team Coverage.