Is Devin Cooley the NHL’s Most Overlooked Goaltender?

Is Devin Cooley overlooked around the NHL?

It’s a fair question — and one that’s becoming harder to ignore around the league.

Among qualified NHL goaltenders, the Calgary Flames netminder sits first in save percentage at .922 and sixth in goals-against average at 2.28. Dig a little deeper, and the numbers become even more compelling. His high-danger save percentage stands at .863 — placing him in the 97th percentile league-wide, well above the NHL average of roughly .813.

Those aren’t sheltered stats. They’re elite.

Yet for much of the season, Cooley’s performance has flown under the radar. Playing behind a team that has battled inconsistency and struggled to generate offence at times, his body of work hasn’t always been accompanied by highlight-reel wins or national headlines. But inside the organization, the appreciation is clear — and he’s been turning opponents heads, too.

“I think he’s starting to,” said Flames head coach Ryan Huska. “Maybe early on in the year he didn’t get as much (credit) as he probably deserved. I think now he is, because he’s been really consistent with what he’s done when he’s gone in there.”

Consistency has defined Cooley’s season. Not just in the numbers, but in his approach.

There’s a noticeable edge to his game — a refusal to quit on plays, regardless of the scoreboard. Whether the Flames are protecting a lead or chasing one, his effort level rarely wavers. That compete has resonated with Huska, particularly in difficult nights when momentum swings heavily the other way.

“Even (against Dallas) when the game was out of reach, he competed and tried to make a save on everything that was coming at him and that’s what you love about him,” explained Huska.

That resilience matters. Goaltending can be isolating, especially when breakdowns happen in front of you or games spiral beyond control. Cooley’s response hasn’t been frustration — it’s been fight.

“And you want, hopefully, other players to recognize what he did in a situation where things weren’t going in our favour,” Huska continued. “He stayed in there and made some saves, so I was really proud of him for that.”

The numbers make a strong case. The underlying metrics strengthen it. But perhaps what separates Cooley this season isn’t simply statistical dominance — it’s mentality.

On a team searching for consistency in other areas, the goaltender has quietly provided it.

Underrated? Maybe earlier in the year.

Overlooked? Increasingly difficult to justify.

If recognition across the league hasn’t fully caught up yet, it’s only a matter of time.

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