Youngstown’s Cooper Simpson was a First-Team All-Star in the USHL last season. (Photo courtesy of Scott Galvin/Scott Galvin Photography)

Cooper Simpson is still a few years away from challenging for a job with the Boston Bruins.

But the arrow on his development is pointing straight up after a big season in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms.

The 19-year-old from Minnesota, who projects as a scoring winger, will be at development camp at Warrior Arena starting Monday. He’ll be a freshman at North Dakota in the coming season.

Picked in the third round of the 2025 NHL Draft by Boston, Simpson earned First Team All-Star honors in the USHL as he put up 34-40-74 totals in 61 games.

“Individually, I thought I had a really good year. I improved in many ways, on and off the ice. But as a team, we wish and I wish we did a lot better,” Simpson said.

“We were the best team all year in the regular season, so it kind of sucked losing in the second round. We had the mindset of winning the whole thing.”

Expectations are high in Youngstown every season and Simpson jumped in without hesitation.

“He embraced that and ran with it. I think that’s the type of kid he is,” said coach Ryan Ward, a native of Assonet, Mass., who guided the Phantoms to the USHL’s Clark Cup championship in 2023.

Simpson credited Ward with teaching him a lot over the course of the year.

“Overall, being consistent all over the ice. On offense, the ability to score and make plays. Defensively, I learned a lot of new habits. I learned that I have to play both sides of the puck to be a good player,” Simpson said.

“(Ward) taught me habits — backchecking, little stick details and positioning. It made me a better player. He also helped me mature a lot and become a leader. That helps me out on and off the ice.”

Heading into Simpson’s first season in Youngstown a year ago, Ward said, “People were a little bit down on his attitude, his compete. But, honestly, not one day did I have issues with either of those.

“He competed his ass off. He was absolutely wonderful to coach. He worked so hard and was a winner,” said Ward.

“He’s a very laidback kid. He’s got his own sense of humor, his own personality. But as a coach you can push him as hard as you need to push him. He’s very receptive to it. He’s a very coachable kid,” said Ward.

Parker Mackay, Bruins’ player development coordinator, seconds that opinion.

“What I like about working with Cooper is he’s not afraid to hear criticism. He seeks information. He’s very coachable,” Mackay said.

Throughout the season, Simpson displayed the soft hands, quick release and blistering shot that that made him a standout at Shakopee, Minn., High School, where he scored 49 goals in 31 games as a senior.

“Coop can score so many different ways. He can score on his one-timer. He can score downhill. He can score off the cycle,” said Ward.

“He took a major step in extending possession, protecting pucks in the offensive zone. He turned into a player that can be dangerous in a lot of different ways.

“His ability to be a threat in different ways is pretty indicative to me of future success in pro hockey.”

Mackay was impressed with the uptick in Simpson’s consistency from shift to shift.

“Not only with the puck, but away from the puck. I think he did a really good job this year of adding layers to his game. He became more conscientious away from the puck, knowing where he should be positionally in his own end,” Mackay said.

“There were stretches when he dominated offensively, not just on the stat sheet but the way he possessed pucks, demanded pucks, just took over games.”

After Youngstown’s season ended, Simpson took a couple of weeks off to rest and recharge. Since then he’s been skating with other college players, including Bruins prospect Will Zellers, who will be a teammate at North Dakota.

He’s better prepared for his second development camp.

“Last year was getting a feel for everything and getting to know the staff. I was kind of like a little kid – first year out of high school, just graduated,” Simpson said.

“This year I’m more ready, more comfortable with the staff in Boston after a year, made some good relationships and I feel like I’ve improved my game. I’ve gotten stronger. I feel pretty good going into camp.”

He’ll move in at North Dakota on July 7 and will be a player to watch on a powerful team playing in the strongest league in the country.

“It’s going to be fun to see how he takes that step in the NCHC. It’ll be a fun challenge for him,” said Mackay.

As far as development is concerned, Simpson is going to be in a good place.

“As he continues  to grow, North Dakota is going to be great for him, being in that environment every day,” said Ward.