According to the Oilers Twitter account, the team has signed the newly acquired Cooper Marody to a three-year entry-level contract. The 21-year-old centreman still had a year of college eligibility left but will instead make the jump to professional hockey after three seasons with the University of Michigan Wolverines.

In 40 games played with the University of Michigan Wolverines, the former 6th round pick in 2015 (158th overall) amassed 51 points (16G, 35A) and led the Big-10 in scoring. Marody’s rights were acquired back on March 21st from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a third-round pick in 2019. For a team that is seriously lacking skilled depth, Marody’s signing was expected and will surely help, at a minimum, with what’s going on in Bakersfield. Where he goes from there will be up to him.

This past season, Marody led the Wolverines with 15 multiple-point games and 10 multi-assist nights and was also the first Wolverine to record multiple points in eight consecutive games since Brian Wiseman did it back in 1993-94. Marody was also a huge part of getting Michigan to a 25th Frozen Four appearance after he put up two goals in the Wolverines’ 3-2 win in the NCAA Regionals. Marody has now finished his NCAA career with 31 goals and 59 assists for 90 points in 90 games played over three seasons with the Wolverines.

SO WHO IS COOPER MARODY?

With prospects that we don’t know a whole lot about, we have to rely on the Internet to show us the way. With that in mind, I went scouring to find some info on our new toy to see what he’s all about and why the Oilers wanted him in the mix.

Edric Joseph at Dobber Prospects checked in this past December.

Cooper Marody has taken off on the scoresheet much like a bat out of hell and it shows as the collegiate junior has 24 points through just 16 contests so far this season. When you thought he could not get much faster than he already was, he somehow manages to find a high gear and is making good use of it when generating creating for others in the offensive zone. With him and other prospects coming down the pipeline, current NHL fixtures such as Giroux and Voracek will have a very capable cavalry for backup support in due course. Continuing to put on good weight while keeping his quickness intact remains a high priority.

In early March, Marody was profiled in an article on Michigan Daily that talked about his attribute:

Growing up, Marody knew he wasn’t going to outmuscle or outskate anybody, at least not just yet.

But maybe he could outskill them.

Instead of darting all over the ice in an attempt to make an impact, Marody let the game come to him, eyes scanning all over the rink, carefully anticipating his next move before incisively doing so. His intelligence and calm attitude allowed him to make up for his physical disadvantages and mentally stay ahead of his competition. Know when to pass, know when to shoot. Know when to lie back, know when to go for it.

From what I can, Marody is a smart player that thinks the game well and has the ability to finish as well. Considering the price to acquire him was a third-round pick, you can tell that the Oilers are committed to improving their depth chart now rather than waiting to draft and develop whoever would have been taken with that selection.

THE WRAP

Considering the Oilers are a team in dire need of skilled forwards on their depth chart, adding the Big-10 scoring leader to their stable of prospects makes a world of sense. I know there was some concern on Twitter on the day he was acquired that Marody could play his fourth season with the Wolverines and walk away as a free agent, but you’d have to think that the Oilers already knew his intentions before trading for him. As it turns out, those fears were all for not as the Brighton, Michigan, native has a fresh new contract in his pocket. Now that Marody is signed to his ELC, the Patrick Maroon trade story moves forward to a new chapter and we get another new name to familiarize ourselves with.

From what I could find about him, Marody is a smart player with plenty of skills and finish that makes this an intriguing prospect. While there are certainly things that he will need to work on as he makes the jump from college to the pro level, Marody should be given every opportunity to succeed based on both his skill set and the current depth chart. What is really interesting, to me, is that the Oilers have added another college player to their depth chart which tells me that the NCAA scouts clearly have Chiarelli’s ear and that he’s buying what they’re selling. Will that approach work out? Time will tell, but for now, we welcome the newest toy to the toybox and wish Cooper Marody all the best in the next step of his career. Gord knows we’ll need him.

MARODY’S NUMBERS

Source: Edmonton Oilers, Verified Twitter Account, 4/8/2018 – 11:00 am MST