Logan Cooley started the season with six points through his first eight games but only picked up another 12 in the 28 that followed through Nov. and Dec.. He hit the rookie wall, and he hit it fast.

These are the sort of growing pains that come with making the transition to the NHL, even for the most talented prospects in the sport. And for Cooley, who came from college hockey where the season is about 40 games tops, the marathon of the 82-game NHL season seemed to catch up to him early.

Only compounding matters is the stark difference in the way hockey is played in these two settings. The pace of play and the pressure only increase as the months go by in the NHL. Every mistake gets magnified. And that can pose a problem for a highly creative player like Cooley. 

Because for this former third