Leo's Hockey Report: Devin Cooley's comments brings up age old stereotype
The Calgary Flames have been on a heater as of late. The team was predicted to be cellar dwellers in the National Hockey League's (NHL) Pacific Division.
Calgary started the season by losing five games in a row. However, the team has gotten some solid results from across the lineup. Calgary has won four of their last six games.
The hot streak began with a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. From there, Calgary tamed the Minnesota Wild, limiting their potent lineup to one goal. The team also defeated the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Last Monday's win over the Buds was highlighted by rookie forward and Shawinigan Cataracts legend Matvei Gridin channelling his inner Justin Jefferson. He hit "the griddy" to celebrate the team's second goal of the game.
The hot streak was extinguished last Wednesday by the Edmonton Oilers.
Calgary's run was impressive. The backbone of their success was goaltender Devin Cooley.
Calgary signed Cooley before the start of the 2025-26 NHL season. He was originally brought in to be the backup for Dustin Wolf. Today, Cooley has proven that he is capable of stepping up when his number is called.
He finished the four-game run with a save percentage of just over 0.955 per cent. He also allowed just under two goals a game.
Yet, it was Cooley's off-ice comments that drew the attention of fans and players.
The start of his path to personal enlightenment came on Oct. 18. That night, Cooley allowed two goals on 36 shots. He used his post-game interview to take fans into how his mind works while on the ice.
Cooley gave fans another banger one week later.
"The problem with me is that I have a lot of fun playing, but when I start having too much fun, it [takes] me from an unconscious goalie to a conscious goalie, and my conscious brain is really bad at playing goalie," Cooley told reporters. "I have to let my unconscious brain do the work, because it reacts a lot quicker."
Cooley's comments echoed a common stereotype in the hockey world. Many feel goaltenders are strange and unique individuals.
The position is not for the faint of heart. You are isolated for most of the game, often sitting by yourself and staring at the end boards. When they are not isolated, goalies find themselves facing shots that are up to 80 km/h.
There is also a fear of failure aspect that comes from being between the pipes. When the team loses, the blame is usually placed on the goaltender. They let in a crucial goal at the end of the game or were beaten in the shootout.
To cope with the massive anxiety that comes with the position, goaltenders create unique habits and superstitions that they do in their everyday lives to be ready for game day. For instance, Cooley is a proud owner of a pet rabbit named Tito, to which he often reads to. He also practises linear algebra in his spare time.
Patrick Roy used to talk to his posts as if they were his friends. Ilya Bryzgalov used astronomy to calm himself, pondering the secrets of the universe.
Something tells me that Bryzgalov and Sheldon Cooper would get along really well.
"I'm not afraid of anything," Bryzgalov told reporters during the 2011-12 NHL season. "I'm only afraid of bear, but bear in the forest."
Kieran Behan is a newcomer to the St. Thomas University (STU) men's soccer team. He spent last season with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
Behan has played soccer since he was a child. His father was a goalie. As a result, he was influenced to follow in his footsteps and play the position.
At the same time, he agrees with the weird nature of the position "to an extent," calling it a "general stereotype."
"I think most players can't fathom the idea of enjoying getting that ball or puck shot at [them] at whatever speed. I don't think they can justify in their own heads," he said.
There are a couple of small things that Behan does before every game. Most of them are rooted in family and routine. He has a pair of compression shorts that his grandmother bought for him when he was 12 years old. He wears the shorts every game for good luck.
Behan also has an activity with his mother, where she tells him that "he is a panther, kid." The panther is an animal which Behan considers to be "very agile, very confident, and very strong." She'll send a picture of the animal to accompany the writing, along with more messages of support.
These activities tell Behan's brain that it's "time to perform."
"There's nothing more that I enjoy than saving a shot that should have been a goal," said Behan. "When I take that joy away from the striker, it's really a unique feeling, and I really enjoy that."
Behan believes the goalie is one of the "leaders" on a team. Keepers have a different view of the field or the rink. They see the entirety of the play, often helping the defenders to know what they should do in front of them. The position also brings about a sense of safety.
As a result, goalies must be "firm in their decisions" and "hold people accountable" for their actions, both good and bad.
"You got to think like a goldfish. Whatever just happened, good or bad, you forget it. You have to stay focused on the current action," said Behan.
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