Photo courtesy of the Tri-City Storm
Boston Bruins prospect Cooper Simpson was drafted in the third round, 79th overall, after a great season with Shakopee High School in Minnesota, where the forward scored 49 goals with 34 assists in 31 games as captain. After a short stint in the USHL with the Tri-City Storm, Simpson was traded in August to the Youngstown Phantoms and is now one of the top players in the league.
The left-shot forward played 31 games for the Storm in 2023-24 and nine more last spring, along with two in the playoffs. This season has been a breakout campaign for the Minnesota native, who has tallied 26 goals and 32 assists in 44 games. The Bruins are encouraged by the progress Simpson has made as a young player who turned 19 years old this month.
As is the case with any Bruins prospect, Simpson is emphasizing 200-foot play and continues to focus on playing a good defensive game as well. Currently, Simpson is a plus-4 and will need to mature his defensive prowess if the 6-foot-1, 180-pound winger has any chance of playing NHL hockey, particularly for the Bruins.
“He competes really, really hard, and he’s playing really well away from the puck in all three zones,” Youngstown Head Coach Ryan Ward said earlier in the season. “He’s really good in the offensive zone at hunting and protecting the puck, and extending possessions, so that’s been really positive to see. And he uses his speed to make plays. Obviously, he’s making an impact on the scoresheet, and he’s scored some big goals for us, and to be honest with you, he could probably have five goals every night.”
Simpson is committed to play at the University of North Dakota next season with fellow Bruins prospect Will Zellers, who was acquired by Boston from Colorado last March. Simpson is an explosive skater who should adapt well to the collegiate game.
Youngstown is 32-9-2-1 on the season and will play a three-game set against the Muskegon Lumberjacks this weekend. The USHL season will wrap up on April 4, and the playoffs will ensue with Cooper Simpson on display.
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