NANAIMO — A towering former Clippers netminder has made his National Hockey League debut, setting a new record in the process.
Cooper Black led the Florida Panthers onto the ice on Thursday, Oct. 22, stopping 18 of 21 shots in a 4-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the tallest goaltender to ever appear in a regular-season game at 6’9″.
Black was called up from Florida’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, to provide cover while Panthers’ starter Jacob Markstrom recovers from a shoulder injury.
“It’s cool, right? Growing up, all the guys you kind of saw and watched as a kid, even as a goalie,” Black said after the game. “Cool experience to play against the guys, would have been nicer to win.”
Among Black’s highlights were stopping Penguins defenseman Kris Letang with his blocker pad on a wrist shot about two minutes in. He also turned aside a breakaway opportunity by Penguins forward Rickard Rakell.
Now 25 years old, Black played one season with the Clippers in 2021/22, posting a 24-7-0 record in the regular season with a 2.62 goals-against average and .924 save percentage.
In the postseason, Black went 12-3 and led the Clippers to a Coastal Conference Championship and an appearance in the league final, where they were swept 4-0 by the Penticton Vees.
Black attended Dartmouth College for two seasons after his time in Nanaimo, before turning pro with Charlotte.
He blossomed last season in Charlotte, posting a 25-13-4 record with a 2.47 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.
Florida signed Black as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2024.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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