The Utah Mammoth got a huge blow to their season last Friday night when they lost star forward Logan Cooley in a dangerous spill against the Vancouver Canucks.
On Monday, the Mammoth announced that Cooley would be out indefinitely. That’s certainly no bueno as the Mammoth are mired in a dogfight for a playoff spot this season.
But according to one medical expert, the situation could be complicated. Dr. Harjas Grewal, a renowned sports physician, believes that Cooley could be out long-term. Grewal had this to say about Cooley’s injury:
The injury happened on this play:
Cooley hit the post knee-first during the nasty spill. It’s the sort of injury no one wants to see in any player. But it’s even worse for the Mammoth. The team signed Cooley to an eight-year, $80 million extension earlier this season.
The former third-overall pick from the 2022 NHL Draft had 14 goals and 23 points in 29 games before going down.
In the meantime, the Mammoth are preparing for an extended period without Cooley. He and fellow rising stars Dylan Guenther, Clayton Keller, and JJ Peterka have led the Mammoth to a decent start this season. The team is looking to make the postseason for the first time in Utah in just their second season.
Mammoth Could Be Holding their Breath on Cooley
At this point, the club most likely has a clear idea of how bad Cooley’s injury is. Since the NHL is very sensitive about injury information, fans and the media won’t really know its extent. But considering the prognosis is “out indefinitely,” the only question mark may be if Cooley will need surgery.
The good news is that Cooley will get some time off. The NHL will be closing down for the Christmas break later this month. Following a packed January, the NHL will shut down again for about three weeks for the Olympics.
So, the Mammoth might not be without one of their best players for too long. Unless the injury is of the season-ending persuasion, the club will hope to weather the storm without him. The Mammoth lost 4-2 to the LA Kings on Monday night. They’ll take on the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night and then the Seattle Kraken on Friday. As such, the club is staring at various games without its star forward.
Could Utah Look to Make a Trade?
Whenever injuries like this hit, the first question that jumps to the forefront is the possibility of a trade. Unfortunately for the Mammoth, they’ll have to get in line. Just about every team in the league is looking to make a move.
However, available players are few and far between. The league remains in gridlock as just about every team in the NHL still has a shot at the playoffs. That’s why every team is adamant about holding on to its best players.
Teams that were believed to be sellers are still in the playoff hunt. Others, like the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks, have been pleasant surprises. As a result, teams looking for replacements and upgrades will need to be patient. It may not be until after the Olympics that deals may finally begin to happen.
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