Right winger Mark Cooper arrives in Belfast from the ECHL’s Carolina Stingrays, where he was an Assistant Captain for the past two seasons. The 29-year-old from Toronto is a proven goal scorer at that level, leading to frequent call-ups to the AHL stretching all the way back to his first pro contract out of college.
Cooper attended Bowling Green State University, where he was made Assistant Captain for the NCAA D1 Falcons in his final two seasons, posting 42 points (16 goals, 16 assists) in his senior year.
After initially signing with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, Cooper would make his mark in the ECHL across five years after turning pro. Splitting his time between the Rapid City Rush, Kansas City Mavericks and South Carolina Stingrays, Cooper notched an impressive 200 points (81 goals, 119 assists) in 253 games played.
The Belfast Giants will look to Cooper for scoring depth, as well as his experience as a team leader. He has featured in 45 AHL games, North America’s second tier to the NHL, and brings a wealth of experience into a Belfast roster featuring the youth and energy of numerous fresh college graduates.
Adam Keefe has made comparisons to former Belfast Giant Kyle Baun, something that will surely delight the Teal Army. Both men are big power forwards who are unafraid to go to the net and work hard for points. It is telling that Cooper was on Keefe’s radar for a number of years before eventually securing his signature this summer.
Date Of Birth 26/05/1992
Height 6'2"
Hometown Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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