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Devin Cooley with a truly unique take on his recent injury diagnosis
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- Devin Cooley with a truly unique take on his recent injury diagnosis
Devin Cooley with a truly unique take on his recent injury diagnosis
It's been quite the ride for Calgary Flames netminder Devin Cooley this season. The 29-year-old had been on an absolute tear heading into Wednesday night's Battle of Alberta matchup against the Edmonton Oilers, rattling off four straight wins and looking like the clear-cut starter in Calgary. But as hockey tends to do, the game had other plans. Cooley went down with a lower-body injury after a collision in the first period, and it appears he's going to be sidelined for a stretch.
What happened next, though, is about as Devin Cooley as it gets.
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A Very Cooley Response to Adversity
Rather than going dark on social media or offering the usual bland "taking it day by day" response, Cooley took to his Instagram Story with a message that was equal parts optimistic, philosophical, and genuinely surprising for a guy who just got hurt.
"Injuries suck but I'm a very fast healer! Can't wait to be back and what a great opportunity to reset physically, mentally, and find ways to gain an edge in my game off the ice so I can come back even better than before," Cooley wrote.
He didn't stop there, either. The Los Gatos, California native added: "Sometimes what we don't ever want to happen could end up being exactly what we need!" And then, just to put the cherry on top, he dropped what appears to be a Marcus Aurelius quote: "And why should we feel anger at the world? As if the world would notice!"
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That's about as on-brand as it gets for a guy who has already become something of a viral sensation this season thanks to his quirky postgame interviews. Most goalies would be fuming after getting taken out during a hot streak. Cooley is out here treating it like a spa retreat for the mind and body.
What Led to the Injury and What's Next for Calgary
The injury occurred late in the opening period when Oilers forward Colton Dach drove hard to the net and crashed into Cooley. It appeared that Cooley's left leg took the brunt of the contact. Dach was whistled for an interference minor on the play, and while Cooley managed to finish the final 12 seconds of the period, he did not return for the second. Dustin Wolf stepped in to take over between the pipes.
Dach expressed regret about the outcome after the game, saying he had no intention of injuring Cooley and was simply trying to create a scoring chance. "I hate going out for the second period and seeing him not lead their team out," Dach said.
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Flames head coach Ryan Huska did not have a specific update on the severity of the lower-body injury following the game. Cooley's Instagram post, however, seemed to confirm that he'll be missing some time.
The timing is rough for Calgary. Cooley had been rolling with a .955 save percentage over his four-game winning streak and carried a solid 2.69 GAA and .914 save percentage on the season with a 4-3-0 record. Without him, the Flames fell 4-0 to Edmonton and dropped to 5-7-0.
Wolf, who now figures to shoulder the starting duties, entered Wednesday's action with an .834 save percentage across five appearances, a number that doesn't exactly inspire confidence. As Wolf himself acknowledged, the team can't lean on one guy and needs to rally as a group.
Still, if Cooley's attitude is any indication, the Flames won't have to worry about his mental state when he does return. The guy is treating a frustrating injury like it's the universe doing him a favor. You have to respect it.
