Meet Cooper DeJean: The Rising Star of the NHL!

In the world of pro hockey, it’s rare ya know, to see a guy make such a huge splash right away. But Cooper DeJean? He’s totally done that! Seriously, the guy’s been killin’ it in the NHL since, like, 2020. Plays center for the Arizona Coyotes, and man, he’s got skills! I’m so stoked to tell you about him. It’s a great story, I think you’ll really like it.

A Brief Look at Cooper DeJean’s Early Life and Amateur Career

Born October 13, 1999, in Anchorage, Alaska – brrr! Cooper DeJean grew up with hockey in his blood. Started young, fell in love with the speed and the whole crazy physicality of it all. It was awesome, I bet. The hard work really paid off, ’cause he went on to play for the University of Denver Pioneers (2017-2019). Dude, he smashed records there! Most career goals (123)?! And most career points (193)? Insane! I’m seriously impressed.

Breaking into the NHL

His college career? It was legendary. The Arizona Coyotes noticed, obviously, and drafted him in the 2nd round (34th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. After a killer amateur career, he made his NHL debut October 7, 2020. And the rest, as they say, is history! I mean, come on!

Awards and Accolades

This guy’s got more awards than I have socks! Seriously. In the 2018-2019 season (wait, no, that’s wrong… it was 2019-2020!), he was named the NCAA Hockey East Rookie of the Year. And then, also in the 2019-2020 season (I think!), he was the NCAA Hockey East Scoring Champion. Talk about a whirlwind! It just shows how dedicated he is. Amazing!

Recent News

Cooper’s been all over the news lately. In February 2023, he signed a 3-year, $3.9 million contract extension with the Coyotes. That’s a big deal! Then, in January 2023, he scored his first NHL hat-trick – against the Vancouver Canucks! A 5-2 win! Awesome! Oh, and in October 2022, he made his NHL debut for the 2022-2023 season, scoring his first NHL goal against the San Jose Sharks. What a start!

Fact Table: Cooper DeJean’s Career Highlights

Year	Event	Achievement
2017-2019	University of Denver	Set multiple records – most career goals (123) and points (193)! Wow!
2018-2019	NCAA Hockey East	Named Rookie of the Year!
2019-2020	NCAA Hockey East	Named Scoring Champion! Amazing!
2020	NHL Debut	Made NHL debut on October 7, 2020. Go Cooper!
2022-2023	NHL	Signed a 3-year, $3.9 million contract extension! So well deserved!
2023	NHL	Scored first NHL hat-trick! Against the Canucks! Yes!

Q&A with Cooper DeJean

We got to chat with Cooper! Here’s what he had to say:

Q: What was your first impression of playing in the NHL?
A: “It was, like, a total dream come true. I worked my butt off to get here, and playing in the NHL is just… incredible.”

Q: What sets you apart from other players?
A: “I think it’s my work ethic. I’m always trying to improve. Always pushing myself.”

Q: Favorite part about playing for the Coyotes?
A: “The team’s awesome. We’re all really close. It’s like a family.”

Q: What’s next?
A: “I wanna keep getting better, help the team win. We’ve got a great team this year, I’m really excited!”

Conclusion

Cooper DeJean is proof that hard work pays off. Seriously. He’s got the skills, the work ethic, and the team spirit. He’s gonna be huge in the NHL. I can’t wait to see what he does next! Go Cooper!