Cooper Looks to Continue Scoring, Winning in Wenatchee
WENATCHEE, Wash. – Miles Cooper has barely gotten his feet wet in the Western Hockey League, but he wants to make sure hockey fans in Wenatchee are aware: he knows how to score, and how to win.
Cooper knows the WHL footprint well, coming from Calgary, Alberta and the Southwest Minor Hockey Association and enrolling the last four years at the Edge School in Calgary. He totaled better than a point a game for the school’s U15 Varsity program in 2019-20, and was productive in the school’s brief 2020-21 campaign, earning four points in six appearances for Edge’s U15 Prep team.
He turned his game up to a new level his last two years there, including an 82-point season in 2021-22 for the 16-and-under program, competing throughout the year with current Prince George Cougar Terik Parascak for the team scoring lead. He was elite in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League postseason that year as well, notching a team-best 14 points in five games. He also played up on the school’s U18 team and did more than just fit in, with 11 points in seven outings.
The summary for the past season was an impressive one to say the very least – Cooper piled up 45 points for the U18 squad during the regular season and 10 more during the postseason, earned a spot on the league’s All-Academic list, helped to lead the team to a CSSHL championship, and picked up 10 points at the prestigious Circle K Classic over the holiday break.
“Edge School is a very well-run program,” said Cooper. “It is a great balance between academics and athletics – every day, there is a two-and-a-half-hour block for hockey players to skate and work out. All the staff there are awesome, and they have helped my game grow a ton.”
Cooper also jumped in for a late-season call-up with the Winnipeg ICE last season and didn’t disappoint, scoring his first junior goal on his second career shot, capping an 8-1 win at the Edmonton Oil Kings in late February. Ultimately, he saw time in eight regular-season games and two postseason games before seeing his season come to a close.
“My late-season call-up to Winnipeg was the best experience of my hockey career so far,” said Cooper. “It was so beneficial to me and my game, being able to learn things from people like James Patrick and all the other staff. It also helped being able to skate with elite-level players, allowing me to see what it takes to be successful in this league. Everyone was extremely welcoming, which allowed the adjustment to the league to be a lot smoother. It was extremely helpful getting an idea of what I need to work on and do in the offseason to prepare myself for this upcoming year.”
He hasn’t shied away from putting in the extra time during the offseason, either – Cooper says he has been on the ice twice a week to build his skills for the upcoming season, and is in the gym five times a week in order to build his body for the grind of a WHL season. He’s also spent time honing his swing on the golf course as he looks to drive the Wenatchee Wild to a successful season in 2023-24.
“I’m looking forward to meeting the new staff, and seeing some of the guys from last year, as well as the new guys coming in,” said Cooper. “I’m also looking forward to getting back into the rink with the team. We’ll have a strong group, so it’s going to be exciting.”