Devin Cooley Pro Read 10
With Devin Cooley
Stance Adjustments and Skate-or-Slide Rush Decisions
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Devin Cooley was an immediate fan favourite here at Pro Reads after debuting with open and candid insights into both the evolution of his game and how he reads it during a late-season stint with the San Jose Sharks. He’s since signed with the Calgary Flames and after one season with their AHL affiliate, where he was an AHL Star for the first time, appears set to move back up to the NHL full time in 2025-26.
Regardless of where he plays next, or how long it’s been since we recorded this, we don’t want to lose any of the insights from the late-blooming 28-year-old so we’re going back into our hour-long video session for the second-to-last session.
THE SEQUENCE
Cooley is facing the Seattle Kraken (and former playing junior partner and mentor Joey Daccord) in this clip, which features a rush by a trailing defenseman:
Looking at the freeze frame above, one-time Seattle defenseman Brian Dumoulin has taken this puck as a trailer off the rush at the left point and cut across the high slot before starting to work down towards the net. As he does, what are the most dangerous scoring options Cooley must factor into his decision making?
Is it Dumoulin himself cutting into a scoring area? Why or why not?
Is it center Ryan Winterton drifting backwards? What factors do you need to note?
Is it forward Ty Kartye cutting in from higher in the zone?
THE SAVE
The pace of the rush matters too, so watch the sequence below in real time, keeping the same questions in mind as Dumoulin gets the puck. As you watch it play out — even before Dumoulin gets it — think about your preferred stance and positioning.
Did you pick the correct threat? Why was the pass more dangerous than Dumoulin?
Why did you think Cooley slid on that pass? Was it the right call in retrospect?
What did you think of his positioning and stance throughout?
THE PRO READ
Now let’s hear from Cooley on how he saw it, and why he played it this way:
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- Cooley breaks down his save against the Seattle Kraken on a Brian Dumoulin trailer rush, where he had to simultaneously track a cutting defenseman, a retreating center, and a forward driving from the high slot.
- Cooley explains why the pass off Dumoulin's cut was the primary danger — not the puck carrier himself — and what cues told him the play was going wide before it happened.
- Cooley identifies the specific moment that triggered his slide, detailing how his read of Kartye's cutting lane determined his timing and commitment.
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