Future Gophers taken in first round: Cooley third, Snuggerud 23rd, Rinzel 25th

MONTREAL — Logan Cooley, a dynamic forward for the U.S. national development U-18 team who is headed to play for the Gophers, was taken third overall in the NHL draft on Thursday night.

Cooley, a Pittsburgh native, was chosen by the rebuilding Arizona Coyotes.

His good friend and Chaska native Jimmy Snuggerud went 23rd to the St. Louis Blues. Cooley and Snuggerud were teammates at the development program and also will be teammates with the Gophers next season.

Another future Gopher, defenseman Sam Rinzel of Chanhassen, was taken 25th by Chicago. He played for Chaska High School and Waterloo of the USHL last season and was the third first-rounder the Blackhawks had on Thursday. Rinzel will return to Waterloo next season before joining the Gophers in 2023.

Touted for his offensive skills and mobility, Cooley was ranked the second-best North American skater by NHL Central Scouting behind Shane Wright, a center for Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League.

"It was pretty stressful," Cooley said. "You never know what's going to happen on draft day so you just got to try to enjoy it, so I was trying to enjoy it with my family. It was a pretty special moment."

Two Slovakian players were taken at the top of the draft. Montreal chose winger Juraj Slafkovsky No. 1 after he emerged as a star on the Olympic stage in February. New Jersey, which probably had designs on Slafkovsky, took his countryman, defenseman Simon Nemec, at No. 2. Wright fell to Seattle at No. 4.

"Arizona's the spot I wanted to go to, team I felt comfortable with, I had a really good connection with," Cooley said. "The future of Arizona Coyotes is really great, and I'm glad to be a part of it. The warm weather, too, I'm really looking forward to that."

In 51 games with the NTDP, Cooley racked up 27 goals and 48 assists for 75 points.

The 5-10, 180-pounder stood out at the Under-18 Men's World Championship, getting named the tournament's top forward, and he was the youngest player named to Team USA's 2022 World Junior Championship roster.

Snuggerud had 24 goals and 63 points for the U-18 team last season, moving to the program after playing for Chaska High School in 2019-20. His father, Dave, is a former Gopher and NHL player.

"It was surreal, to be able to watch 22 guys before me and then be No. 23," Snuggerud said.

"He's got an NHL shot now," Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong said. "We're not in a position where we need to rush anyone. We're gonna let him go to a really good program under top-level coaching and development."

Rinzel was the top-ranked high school prospect by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau.

Minnesota Duluth recruit Isaac Howard, a forward from Hudson, Wis. who played for the U.S. development team, was taken 31st by Tampa Bay.