KEARNEY, NE. – The Tri-City Storm has announced the signing of forward Cooper Simpson to a tender agreement for the 2023-2024 season. Simpson skated for Shakopee High School (MN) during the 2022-2023 season, and attended the Storm's 2022 Main Camp at the Las Vegas Ice Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Simpson's signing will replace Tri-City's draft selection in the 1^st Round of the 2023 USHL Phase I Draft.   
 
Cooper Simpson, 16, Forward, of Shakopee, Minnesota, skated in twenty-seven games for the Shakopee High School Sabers during the 2022-2023 season. Simpson led the team with thirty-seven goals, and sixty-three points. He also notched twenty-six assists for the Sabers' offense. He netted the most goals of any player in Minnesota's 2AA Section of High School hockey this year. Simpson's thirty-seven goals ranked in the Top 20 in the state for the 2022-2023 season. He also scored twenty-four goals, and notched fifteen assists, for thirty-nine total points for the Sabers last year. Simpson skated in twenty games for the Minnesota Blades 15U AAA program this season. He led the team in scoring with twenty goals, and thirty-six points. He also notched sixteen assists for the Blades' offense. Simpson skated in the prestigious USA Under 15-Selects Development Camp prior to the 2022-2023 season.
 
"I am super excited to join this organization, the Tri-City Storm is a great team! I hope to help the team win a lot of games next year, and I would like to thank my parents for all of their help along the way." – Forward Cooper Simpson
 
"Cooper Simpson joins the Storm as one of the premier offensive talents in the 2007 birth class. He has been a weapon for the past two seasons in Minnesota High School hockey, various events, and with teams on which he has played. We are ecstatic to sign Cooper, and welcome him and his family to Kearney next season. We had a unique opportunity to have Cooper attend camp with us last summer. He thoroughly impressed our staff, and the desire for him to wear our purple jersey has finally come to fruition today. We thank Cooper and his family for trusting us with his development moving forward, and we are excited to watch him grow into a standout USHL forward, as well as a high-level college and pro prospect."- General Manager Jason Koehler
 
"As an organization, we are thrilled to be able to tender Cooper Simpson. He is one of the elite players in this birth class, and we believe he will thrive within our culture, and development system. We all look forward to working with him and seeing him grow. " President of Hockey Operations/Head Coach Anthony Noreen