Florida Panthers rookie goalie Cooper Black, standing a colossal 6-feet-9, didn’t just play his first NHL game on Thursday night, he absolutely rewrote the league’s record books. He became the tallest goaltender to ever appear in a regular-season game, making history the moment he skated onto the PPG Paints Arena ice for pregame warmups.
History in the Making, Literally
The Panthers called up the 25-year-old Black from their AHL affiliate in Charlotte after Jacob Markstrom went down with a shoulder injury, and the rookie seized his opportunity. His towering 6-foot-9 frame beats out other NHL giants like Ben Bishop, Ivan Fedotov, Mads Sogaard, and Mikko Koskinen, all listed at 6-foot-7. That’s two full inches of pure net-filling power! You have to wonder what it’s like for shooters looking at a guy that size. Black certainly made his mark, even taking fewer strides than most rookies during the traditional alone-on-ice lap, a perk of having such long legs.
From Growth Spurt to Goal Stop
Black’s journey to the NHL wasn’t just about his size, though his incredible growth spurt played a part. The Alpen, Michigan native started playing at age eight, and then between his junior and senior years of high school, he shot up five inches, going from 6-0 to 6-5, and just kept on growing! It took a few years to get to the NHL, but Black’s first period performance was excellent. He stopped Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang on a wrist shot with his blocker pad about two minutes in and then turned aside a breakaway opportunity from Penguins forward Rickard Rakell. He eventually gave up a goal to Nick Robertson, who beat him to the glove side. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice is clearly a fan, praising Black’s development. Florida signed Black as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2024, and he truly blossomed last season in Charlotte, posting a 25-13-4 record with a 2.47 goals against average and a .903 save percentage. Maurice even joked about his size, saying, “A man that size, it takes a long time to grow into that body. I think he’s done.”
The Panthers found something special in this undrafted rookie. Black’s journey from an 8-year-old kid in Alpen, Michigan, through a massive growth spurt, to an NHL history-maker is just getting started. If his debut is any indication, Florida fans have a whole lot to look forward to with this towering presence in net.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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