Nobody wants to get called up to the NHL because of an injury.
And that makes it hard for Devin Cooley to be overly thrilled about the opportunity that has presented itself with the Calgary Flames.
It’s a chance to be around the NHL team and potentially play. Obviously, that’s exciting.
But with Dan Vladar out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, it’s a little bittersweet.
“Obviously, you always hope to be called up, that’s the goal, but the circumstances are not ideal,” Cooley explained on Friday. “You don’t want guys to get injured and that’s the reason you get called up. I hope Vlady can heal pretty quickly and it seems like he will and it’ll be fine.
“While I’m here, hopefully I can support the team and support (Dustin Wolf) and do the best I can to help this team out.”
While Cooley may only have gotten called up by the Flames in this particular case because Vladar got hurt in Thursday night’s 8-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the 27-year-old has done everything that you could hope for in the AHL with the Calgary Wranglers this year.
Cooley signed with the Flames organization as a free agent in the summer after spending last season with the San Jose Sharks and the Rochester Americans, the AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The Sharks acquired Cooley in a deal at the trade deadline.
It always was going to be an uphill battle to earn regular NHL playing time this year with the Flames having both Wolf and Vladar under contract, but Cooley had a strong training camp and has been excellent with the Wranglers all season.
He has posted a 14-3-3 record to go along with a 1.80 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage. You can’t really ask a goalie for much better than that.
“From all reports and the games that I’ve seen, he’s been the best goaltender in the American League,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska said.
“He’s done a really good job for the guys there. You never want to see him get an opportunity to come up with us based on someone not feeling right, but that’s the way it goes.
“I think he’s done an excellent job of making sure that he’s given our Wranglers team a chance to win every night and in a lot of situations he’s made saves that he shouldn’t be making.”
The Flames didn’t elaborate on what was going on with Vladar’s injury status, beyond that he’s day-to-day. If he isn’t out for long, it’s entirely possible that Cooley will backup Wolf for a game or two and then return to the Wranglers, hopefully picking up right where he left off for a group that has picked up more points than any other team in the AHL this season.
His play this year gives the Flames an insurance plan if either Wolf or Vladar isn’t available, though, and Cooley said that working with Wranglers goaltending coach Mackenzie Skapski has helped him take major strides in his game.
“He’s been incredible,” Cooley said. “He’s totally revolutionized my game. Now, I feel like I have an actual plan when I play goalie and I’m not just going out there hoping and praying. Now, I know exactly how I want to play my game and I know that if I play that way every game, most nights I’m going to have success.
“It’s not going to be every single night, but it’s going to be the majority of nights.”
www.twitter.com/DannyAustin_9