Calgary Kids - Miles Cooper

From YYC to EAT.

Miles Cooper got to experience life away from Calgary for the first time this past year, skating in his rookie season with the Wenatchee Wild in Washington state.

The 17-year-old appeared in eight games for the then Winnipeg ICE last year before they relocated to the U.S., getting his feet wet in the WHL which he credited to his breakout season.

“It was crucial being able to understand what it takes to be a good player in the league,” Cooper said. “Being around guys like Matthew Savoie, Zach Benson and Connor Geekie, top players that dominated last year and this year to see what they did not just in games but practice too was beneficial.”

“The big thing for me was my strength headed into the season. Last year, I was smaller and made sure I was strong enough to not get knocked off pucks. That was the main focus but also worked on everything else. You can never be too good at one thing and it’s important to always practice and develop everything.”

All the extra work paid off for Cooper, leading all Wild rookies in scoring that earned him the club’s Rookie of the Year honours.

A graduate of the Edge school in Calgary, Cooper spent parts of four seasons with the squad where he was a 2023 CSSHL U18 champ and was also named to the All-Academic Team in 2022.

“It’s part of the reason I am where I am today,” he said of the Edge School. “I am grateful for the opportunity and experiences I had there. The teachers and coaching staff were amazing and so supportive the whole time. It made it easier for me to develop my game to ultimately take the next step.”

The forward caught the attention of NHL scouts as the season went on and is showing no signs of slowing down, well into his off-season training regimen with his sights set on building off a solid start to his ‘Dub career.

“Growing up in Calgary, not only with Flames games but Hitmen games when I was little, I wanted to play in this league, it’s been a dream of mine,” he said. “Looking back and thinking, ‘Yeah, I’m playing in the WHL now,’ is so cool.

“The attention from some NHL teams is exciting. I’m happy to get to this point, but I’m also looking forward to continue my career and go as far as I can.”