A Long Bond Between Logan Cooley and Vincent Trocheck Before Uniting at Utah Mammoth

An old photo shows the moment a young Logan Cooley poses next to Vincent Trocheck in a Pittsburgh gym, illustrating a bond that dates back long before they met as teammates in the NHL. Trocheck, about 11 years older, has watched and often trained with Cooley throughout his childhood, remaining amazed by his early abilities.

As the NHL reports, Cooley, 22, and Trocheck, 33, will be together on the ice when the Utah Mammoth hold their first camp practice. Trocheck has said he has followed Cooley’s talent since adolescence and never doubted his chances of reaching the highest levels of hockey.

Their families are close in Pittsburgh, and Trocheck often played with the area’s youngsters when he was starting his professional career. During periods when Cooley was about 15–16 years old, he began training with Trocheck and groups of professionals, an experience Cooley describes as intimidating at first, but very supportive.

Cooley was selected by the Arizona Coyotes with the third pick in the 2022 Draft. As a rookie with Arizona in the 2023-24 season he scored 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 82 games. In the 2024-25 season he recorded 65 points (25 goals, 40 assists) with the Utah Hockey Club, while with the Mammoth last season he had 43 points (24 goals, 19 assists) in 54 games, after missing 28 games due to a lower-body injury. Projected over 82 games, his stats align with about 65 points.

The Mammoth added Trocheck’s experience and that of other veterans like Anders Lee, which gives the team the elements needed to move to the next level. Cooley and some of his teammates had limited playoff experience; the team learned important lessons during the matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights where, despite a positive start, Utah was eliminated in the first round. Trocheck has gone through deep playoff runs and was part of the U.S. team that won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Trocheck has said he wants to help Utah both on and off the ice and is already settled with the team; he has also mentioned family life with two children. According to the NHL, the experience and characteristics of players like Trocheck and Lee can help the Mammoth take the next step as an organization and teach the youngsters to manage pressure and focus during decisive games.