Panthers set to start tallest goalie in NHL history against Penguins appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Florida Panthers goaltender Cooper Black is set to make his NHL debut on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena, with history awaiting him between the pipes.
Standing at 6-foot-9, Black will become the tallest netminder ever to play in an NHL game. The 25-year-old will surpass the previous height benchmark of 6-foot-7, shared by former NHL goaltenders Ben Bishop, Mikko Koskinen, Mads Sogaard, Ivan Fedotov and Dennis Hildeby.
Florida signed Black as an undrafted free agent in April 2024 after his collegiate career at Dartmouth College. He has since progressed through the organization’s goalie depth chart and entered the 2026-27 season in contention for the team’s third spot in the crease.
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The Panthers recalled Black from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, on October 20 following an upper-body injury to veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom. Markstrom is expected to miss 10 to 14 days. Black had also been called up earlier this season because of Markstrom’s injury situation.
In three starts with Charlotte this season, Black has compiled a 2-1-0 record, a 2.67 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. His latest appearance featured 33 saves in a 4-2 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday.
Black also gained experience during Florida’s preseason schedule, stopping 14 shots in a 5-3 win versus the Tampa Bay Lightning on September 24. The Panthers subsequently signed him to a two-year, two-way contract extension on June 8, 2026.
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