SALT LAKE CITY – With an increasing cap and several record-breaking contract deals surfacing over the last few weeks, players like Utah Mammoth forward Logan Cooley find themselves in unfamiliar territory as they approach new extensions.
Following a recent report from Frank Seravalli on X, claiming that Cooley had supposedly turned down an eight-year, $9.6M AAV extension, his agent Brian Bartlett added some insight on the situation during an interview with the DailyFaceoff.
Sources: @utahmammoth made a push to get rising star Logan Cooley extended before start of the season, but his camp turned down an 8-year deal worth nearly $77 million (8 years x $9.6 million).
More info on Frankly Hockey at 12 noon ET on @victoryplustv.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 6, 2025
Logan Cooley’s agent comments on contract negotiations with Utah Mammoth
The question that every Mammoth fan wants an answer to, when will Cooley sign his new extension and what will it look like?
After General Manager Bill Armstrong secured arguably the best deal in the NHL by locking up Dylan Guenther for eight years with an AAV of $7.1M, everyone has been anxious to see what Cooley’s deal might look like.
However, given the circumstances, this negotiation looks a little bit different.
With a projected cap increase of $25M over the next three seasons, players and agents alike are hesitant to quickly put pen to paper and understandably so.
“For a 21-year-old when you’re talking term, he’s got another year on his deal so there’s no urgency or rush on it yet,” Brian Bartlett, Cooley’s agent explained.
Cooley’s agent on contract negotiations:
“Utah is definitely turning into a destination for hockey players to go.”
“He’s got another year on his deal. There’s no urgency or rush on that…you don’t have to sign 11 months before your contract is done.”#TusksUp https://t.co/MohsOQKWjG
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 17, 2025
Like his agent noted, there’s not a rush to get this deal done on Cooley’s end.
He’s coming off a big year in terms of growth and production with a primary focus of “dominating” even more this season.
Essentially, he’s betting on himself to earn every penny and increase the AAV as much as possible while allowing his agents to accurately determine the best contract situation.
“For me, it’s all about just this season,” he said during media day.
“Helping this team get to the playoffs and gearing up for that I want to dominate. I want to be the best player I could possibly be. so, kind of leaving that to the agents.”
Logan Cooley’s agent says Utah is becoming a destination market for NHL players
While fans eagerly await the announcement of a new contract, there were some notable positives from his agent’s insight.
First of all, Bartlett clarified that this is not a specific situation to Cooley or Utah, rather a league situation as teams and agents navigate new uncharted territory.
“Long term contracts for anybody, to say this is not Utah specific, this is not Logan Cooley specific. This is everybody specific. It’s a big decision. There’s so much that goes into it,” he said.
A deal not only has to make sense for both sides, but it also has to take into consideration the cap increase and how a player’s value will be impacted as the league continues to grow financially.
Additionally, his agent also doubled down on the fact that Cooley enjoys playing in Utah and that Salt Lake City is quickly becoming a destination spot around the league.
“Utah is definitely turning into a destination for hockey players to go,” Barlett told the Daily Faceoff.
This only reaffirms what Cooley said during media day and countless other times throughout last season.
“Obviously, I love it here, but (I’m) just focused on this year for right now,” Cooley noted.
Those are positive statements that should put fans at ease.
From day one, Cooley has voiced his love and appreciation for Utah.
He wants to be here; he’s playing his best hockey in a Mammoth uniform, and the front office is eager to get a long-term deal done.
So, remain patient.
It’s coming.
He’s not going anywhere.
Doesn’t matter if it’s a long-term contract, bridge-deal or if it somehow reaches an offer sheet (that’s not going to happen), Utah will not let Cooley walk away.
Now, with that being said, Cooley’s party also needs to make sure they’re being realistic in terms of negotiations.
While Bartlett denied that neither him nor the Mammoth leaked the supposed eight-year, $77M contract extension to Seravalli, that number would be entirely fair and even leaning towards more gracious on Utah’s end.
Cooley is a young star and on track to becoming a superstar, but he’s still very young and has a lot to prove.
Even if he does produce around 80-90 points this season, a $9.6M AAV would make him Utah’s highest paid player, and he’d be earning over $2M more annually than Guenther and JJ Peterka who will be in the same ballpark.
He’s likely worth it, but there needs to be a sense of reality as both sides work towards getting a deal done amidst uncharted territory.
What’s next for the Utah Mammoth?
The Utah Mammoth will continue their home stand against the San Jose Sharks on Friday at 7 p.m. MT.
The game will be available on ESPN+ and Hulu.
Cole Bagley is the Utah Mammoth insider for KSL Sports. Keep up with him on X here. You can hear Cole break down the team on KSL Sports Zone and KSL 5 TV.
Take us with you, wherever you go.
