67’s Foster comfortable in the face of doubt
This time last year, Cooper Foster was preparing for a chance to make the Ottawa 67’s roster, with the NHL Draft a distant afterthought, if anything at all.
The Sault Ste. Marie product is used to be overlooked, falling out of the first round in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, before becoming a second-round pick of the Barber Poles. In what would have been his rookie season in the league, Foster didn’t crack the team out of camp, and was returned home, where he played for the Soo Thunderbirds.
When the NHL released their scouting rankings, or Craig Button came out with mock drafts, Foster’s name was nowhere to be seen at the start of the season, despite becoming a regular in the 67’s lineup in 2022-23.
“I’m used to not getting the recognition,” Foster admitted. “Coming from the Soo, you don’t get the attention guys in Toronto might, but I knew this was a big year for me. It wasn’t easy.”
Over the course of the season, Foster started to hear his name said more frequently, thanks to his mixture of hard-nosed hockey, and poise at the goal front. He found the back of the net 19 times, adding another 17 assists in 63 games, good for 10th in the league among rookies.
“This year was awesome for me,” Foster said. “It was great to be around the team last year and see how hard it can be, so coming in this year, I had a little bit of an advantage. I worked hard over the summer, and that paid off for me. Once I found my footing, I started to get on a bit of a role.”
Things became a little easier, Foster says, playing with as many good linemates as he had this season. He moved around in the lineup frequently, but he saw time with Vinzenz Rohrer and Luca Pinelli, while also lining up on a line with Brad Gardiner and Jack Dever toward the tail end of the campaign.
What’s more, the Barber Poles played a confident brand of hockey all season long, winning far more often than they lost, something Foster believes made his rookie season just that little bit more comfortable. But it wasn’t always easy, and there were struggles along the way.
“I was only used to playing 30-something games back home, and it was different in a league where you play 68, but it’s a level of maturity you find,” Foster said. “When things aren’t going your way, you have to take a step back sometimes, and that really benefited me. I stuck to my game and kept consistent, trusting that good things would come.”
With the season now in the books, Foster is back home, where his offseason routine is still rigorous. He’s waking up, and working out, before hitting the ice in the afternoon, but finding time to disconnect is just as important.
“It’s big for me to just relax as well,” Foster said. “My house is on the lake here, so I’ve been on the water and spent as much time outside as possible, just getting my mind off the season and everything coming up.”
“I’ll see what my buddies are doing, and we’ll go fishing or hang out on the beach. Sometimes we have a boat and we’ll go out. I haven’t caught much yet, we’ve just been fishing off the shore on the rocks, so just some rock bass and some smallmouth, nothing too big.”
Despite only days standing between Foster and potentially hearing his name called at the NHL Draft, he hasn’t allowed the hype to overwhelm him. That hasn’t stopped him from dreaming, however. The self-described Chicago Blackhawks fan grew up idolizing Patrick Kane, and the thought of playing on the same sheet of ice is almost too incredible to be possible, he says.
The chance to suit up in an NHL uniform at the United Center in Chicago, or Scotiabank Arena in Toronto are among the other dreams. Of course, there’s still plenty of work left to do to reach those goals, but this is an opportunity Foster has worked his whole life for.
“I never thought I would be in this situation as a kid, but it’s super cool,” Foster said. “I’m trying to take it all in.”
The future is uncertain, but no matter what, Foster is proud of what he has already accomplished, and incredibly gracious to those who helped him achieve it.
“It’s a big thank you to everyone,” Foster said. “Everyone along the way has played their role. But my parents have sacrificed so much, they’ve pushed me on and off the ice. I wouldn’t be in the position I am right now without them.”
