Scorin’ Simpson

KEARNEY, Neb. – Cooper Simpson scored plenty of goals this winter for the Shakopee Sabers.

The senior lit the lamp 49 times and racked up 83 points over his 31 games, and Simpson was named a Mr. Hockey Finalist for his efforts. His 49 goals were the most in the state, and Simpson helped the Sabers win 24 total games – including their first section championship in Class 2A.

While his jersey and surroundings have changed, the production hasn’t, as Simpson has made an immediate impact with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm.

Simpson has scored in three straight games, five of his past six and for a team that’s hoping to make a deep playoff run, the left-shot forward has been a welcomed addition.

“I’ve just been super excited to do what I can and help make our team better,” he said. “I knew some of the guys from my time here last year, which helped, but everyone has been super nice and super helpful, and I’m just really excited to be here.”

The North Dakota commit played 31 games for the Storm last season, which bookended his high school season.

Simpson had just three points (1-2-3) over his first 12 USHL games but returned in March and finished strong. He potted six goals and added four helpers over his final 17, along with two assists in the playoffs.

Cooper Simpson was the 67th-ranked North American skater on NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings. The Minnesota native started skating around age 2 or 3 and began playing hockey as a 5-year-old in Shakopee. “The guys love him and his opponents hate playing against him,” said Shakopee coach Calvin Simon. “He’s irritating, he scores goals and he’s so smart offensively, and he’s got a little bit of Matthew Tkachuk to his game. He’s still got some more maturing to do, but he’s already grown a lot and the sky’s the limit for him.” (MHM Photo / Christine Wisch)

That experience gave Simpson an idea of what all the USHL entails, and combined with another year of high school hockey, it’s paying dividends now.

“You can tell he’s way more mature and he just knows what to expect, and you can tell he’s playing with more confidence because of it. But I also think it’s a testament to some of the hard times he went through last year,” said Tri-City coach Marco Trevino. “Even from the start of last season to when we got him back after his high school season, he was a much better overall player. He was much stronger and his growth and development were evident.

“Then you look at this season, he was a leader for Shakopee and he’s someone that his teammates respect. That leadership has definitely shown through here, and when you combine that with the type of player he is, we’re definitely excited.”

Immediate impact
Trevino took over for the Storm in early December and was an assistant last season. Tri-City started this season with Mark Abalan behind the bench, who was fired after 24 games.

Despite spending last spring with the Storm, Simpson opted to stay in Minnesota this past fall and prepare for his high school season. However, getting him back for the stretch run was one of Trevino’s top priorities.

Cooper Simpson is averaging 0.86 points per game, which ranks third on Tri-City’s roster. The 18-year-old forward continues to impress with his offensive instincts. “Coop had a great high school season and he developed so much at Shakopee, and that’s been great for his career. But we’re really happy to reap the benefits here down the stretch,” said Tri-City coach Marco Trevino. “We know he wants to be here, we know he wants the puck on his stick and we know he wants to win.” (Photo courtesy of the Tri-City Storm)

Simpson’s return came at a good time too, especially for a team that’s scuffled offensively. Tri-City (28-28-3-1) has since clinched a playoff spot and, individually, Simpson has points in six of his first seven games.

“We feel he’s a weapon and he’s added an instant scoring threat to our lineup, which has been much needed,” Trevino said. “It’s almost like we added a bonus player after the deadline, and Cooper is just such a gifted player.

“He can hunt pucks, he can knock guys off the puck, he plays with speed, and he’s a very competitive kid. So he’s someone we’ve been able to insert in our top six and adding him to the lineup has helped some of our depth scoring too. We’ve wanted to put him in a position to be comfortable and have success, and his confidence level is through the roof right now.”

Tourney success leads to playoff push
Tri-City enters the final week of the regular season with 60 points, two behind Fargo for fifth in the USHL’s Western Conference. The Storm will open the playoffs on the road next Monday at either Waterloo or Sioux City.

After winning their first-round series against Sioux Falls last spring, there’s a desire to go even further this time around. Especially for returning players like Simpson.

However, a playoff run would be a cherry on top of what’s already been a tremendous winter for Simpson.

The Sabers finished the regular season with a 19-5-1 record, won their section final and advanced to the state tournament for the second time in program history (Class 1A in 2005). Shakopee fell in the state quarterfinals to St. Thomas Academy at Xcel Energy Center but beat Andover and Lakeville South in the consolation bracket.

Cooper Simpson, shown here playing on Hockey Day Minnesota, grew up a Wild and Penguins fan, and he’s idolized Sidney Crosby. Simpson labeled himself as a “dynamic offensive player,” but he’s also tried to focus on his overall game this season. “I can make a play out of nothing, I can shoot to score and I can make a pass anywhere, but I can play defense and shut guys down too,” he said. (MHM Photo / Christine Wisch)

Results aside, it was a tremendous year for Shakopee, which also hosted Hockey Day Minnesota and was featured on Dream State.

“I’d say this was probably the most special team Shakopee’s ever had and the most special season I’ve ever been a part of,” said Simpson, who was both the Sabers’ leading scorer and captain. “Obviously, we wish we could’ve gone a little further and won (a state title), but it was just a special season and we had a lot of accomplishments as a group.”

Added Shakopee coach Calvin Simon: “It’s been really special seeing everything manifest for him this season. He prioritized his hometown, he prioritized playing with his childhood buddies and putting our program on the map, and he rose to the occasion over and over again. He’s what I’d call a trailblazer for a program, and he was such a good leader and brought so much to our team beyond being a pure goal scorer.

“So, to see him have success in high school and now continue to have success in the USHL, it’s great seeing a kid like him get rewarded. But honestly, I’m not surprised, and I believe he’ll continue that in the NCAA and beyond. He’s just a special kid, a special player and a great teammate, and he’s had an incredible season.”

At the same time, Simpson hopes his season is far from complete, and he returned to Kearney with the goal to win.

“Our No. 1 goal right now is to win the Clark Cup,” Simpson said. “I think the experience we gained here last year has helped a lot, and we’ve been in this environment before. But we believe in the group we have and our goal is to go on a run here.”