Pittsburgh Penguins rookie goalie Sergei Murashov just publicly gave a huge stick tap to Calgary Flames netminder Devin Cooley, acknowledging the massive, often unspoken, mental health battles goalies face in the NHL. Murashov used his postgame media time to thank Cooley for being brave enough to speak out, a move that’s got the league talking.
Murashov’s Bold Shout-Out
This all went down on Saturday after Murashov nabbed his first win of the season, a solid 5-2 victory over the LA Kings. Instead of just soaking in his own success, Murashov took the spotlight and pointed it straight at Cooley. “I want to pass a media message to Devin Cooley,” Murashov said, making sure everyone heard him. He went on to explain how Cooley’s honesty resonates: “I saw he was really popular recently, and like most of the goalies are going through something like he’s talking about, but not a lot actually speak aloud. So, just thank you to him for what he’s saying, and it helps. It genuinely just helped me a little bit too.” That’s real talk right there, isn’t it? It shows how much weight those words carry when a fellow goalie says, “me too.”
Cooley’s Reaction and Wider Impact
Cooley, still probably buzzing from the impact of his original message, got the lowdown on Murashov’s shout-out on Monday. He might not have caught it live, but word travels fast in the league. “I did not see it, but I heard about it from multiple people telling me,” Cooley shared. And he was clearly stoked about the ripple effect: “I heard it was awesome, and I’ve gotten messages from other guys in the league, too, who have reached out. I’m like, ‘that’s really cool.’” This isn’t just about two guys, it’s about a conversation getting louder, breaking down walls, and helping players know they aren’t alone. That’s a huge step for the game and for the athletes who pour everything into it.
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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