Cooper Black becomes tallest goaltender in NHL history

Florida Panthers goaltender Cooper Black made history during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the tallest goaltender to ever play in an NHL game. Standing at 6-foot-9, the 25-year-old surpasses the previous record of 6-foot-7 held by players such as Ben Bishop, Mikko Koskinen, Ivan Fedotov, and Mads Søgaard.

Black, an undrafted free agent, was recalled from the Panthers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, following an upper-body injury to Jacob Markstrom. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice praised Black’s efficiency and performance, noting that the goaltender did not rely solely on his size to make saves.

Before his NHL debut, Black had a successful tenure with the Charlotte Checkers and played in a preseason game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He previously played collegiate hockey at Dartmouth College.