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Braeden Cootes, Vancouver Canucks (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)

Canucks Prospects Report: Cootes, Chiarot, Patterson & Romani

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Matthew Zator | Last updated Jan 11, 2026 12:40 PM ET

If the season continues to go south, the Vancouver Canucks will be adding some serious talent to their prospect pool in a few months. With some luck, maybe even the likes of Ivar Stenberg or Gavin McKenna, who are set to be the first/second-overall picks in the 2026 Draft. They also have an additional first-round pick they acquired in the Quinn Hughes trade, and possibly even more if the trade rumours surrounding Kiefer Sherwood, Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson, etc., become more than just rumours.

But until then, we will continue to follow the players who are actually Canucks prospects, and there are a few having exceptional seasons so far. In this edition of the Canucks Prospect Report, we will be focusing on two that were recently traded in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), one that has started 2026 with a bang, and another that can’t seem to stop putting up points. Let’s dive in.

Cootes Traded to Prince Albert & Wins Bronze at WJC

The 2025-26 season has been a whirlwind for Braeden Cootes. After being drafted 15th overall by the Canucks in June, he had a strong training camp and preseason and surprisingly made the opening night roster. His NHL stint only lasted three games, but he showed promise and a near-NHL-ready game before being sent back to the Seattle Thunderbirds in October. Upon returning to the Western Hockey League (WHL), he hit the ground running with 10 goals and 23 points in 17 games and was named to Team Canada for the 2026 World Juniors.

Despite being a huge part of Team Canada at the 2025 U18 World Championship, where he captained them to gold and led the team in scoring, he was given a limited role in the bottom-six at the World Juniors. He only had two goals in seven games and saw a tournament-low 6:21 in the bronze medal game against Finland. He did come away with a bronze, though, and will probably take on a bigger role next year when the tournament returns to his home province of Alberta. He might even get the “C” stitched onto his jersey again, that is, if he isn’t starring in the NHL with the Canucks.

Cootes’ whirlwind few months weren’t finished with the World Juniors. Shortly after receiving his bronze medal, he got word that he had been moved to the Prince Albert Raiders. The Thunderbirds traded their captain for a haul that included Ethan Bibeau, Knox Burton, Diego Gutierrez, and Tripp Fischer, along with two first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, and a second and third in 2026. He will now join a team with aspirations of winning a Memorial Cup, and could finish the 2025-26 season with a bronze, a WHL championship, and the biggest prize in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

“Yeah, it’s for sure been pretty crazy. I never really thought I would get traded. I’ve never been traded before. So it’s new, but I’m super excited. They have a really good team there in PA. I know a few guys on the team. And I mean, they’re running through the league pretty well this year, so I couldn’t be happier to have a chance to win this year.”
– Cootes after being traded

Cootes made his debut with the Raiders on Friday (Jan. 9) against the Swift Current Broncos and had a two-point night against the Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday, recording a goal and an assist in a 5-3 loss.

Chiarot Traded to Rangers Amidst Strong Season With Steelheads

Cootes wasn’t the first Canucks prospect to be traded in the CHL this season. That distinction belongs to Gabriel Chiarot, another 2025 draft pick. About a week before Cootes was dealt to the Raiders, Chiarot was moved from the Mississauga Steelheads to the Kitchener Rangers for a package that included eight picks and the rights to Adam Valentini. Before the trade, Chiarot was having another solid season with the Steelheads, posting 15 goals and 25 points in 31 games. He has played five games so far and scored his first goal on Saturday in the Rangers’ 7-4 win over the Owen Sound Attack.

Patterson’s Breakout Season Continues in Niagara

Riley Patterson is thriving in his new home in Niagara. He already has 23 goals and is only seven away from setting a new career-high – and he’s only played 37 games. He is on pace for 41 goals and 93 points, shattering his old high of 29 goals and 62 points that he set with the Barrie Colts in his rookie season in 2023-24.

Riley Patterson, Niagara IceDogs (Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)

Patterson currently leads the IceDogs in scoring and has been a consistent source of offence all season long. He hasn’t gone more than three games without a point – and that happened only once in October – and has point streaks of four, six, and eight games, including another six-game point streak he’s on right now, where he has 11 points (four goals and seven assists).

Patterson has also hit double digits in shots three times, including a season-high 13 against the Colts on Jan. 3, where he also scored a goal and had two assists. And, to top it all off, he has 17 multipoint efforts – six of which he recorded three points. To say he’s having a good season would be a massive understatement.

Romani Thriving as a Freshman at Michigan State

After a solid stint in the OHL – which included a dominating performance in 2023-24 with 58 goals and 111 points – Anthony Romani decided to take his talents to the NCAA. He joined the powerhouse Michigan State University for the 2025-26 season, and so far, he’s thriving in the increased competition, with eight goals and 15 points in 20 games.

Anthony Romani, Michigan State University (Syndication: Lansing State Journal)

Five of Romani’s eight goals have come in the last five games, as he recorded his first two-goal game in Michigan State’s 3-1 win over the Michigan Wolverines on Dec. 6. Since then, he has three goals in his last four games, with seven points in that span. On a team boasting the likes of first-rounders Charlie Stramel, Porter Martone, Ryker Lee, and Cayden Lindstrom, Romani is fourth in scoring behind only Daniel Russell, Martone and Stramel. That’s pretty impressive, considering he was drafted all the way down in the sixth round at 162nd overall.

Canucks Prospect Pool a Bright Spot in Frustrating Season

While the Canucks’ 2025-26 season has been frustrating to watch so far, there have been some bright spots in the prospect pool. Cootes, Patterson and Chiarot are just three that are having solid campaigns with their respective teams and in the case of Cootes, could be walking away with some hardware at the end of the season. With the 2026 Draft coming up fast and the Canucks having two first-round picks (and possibly more), there will be more exciting talent being added very soon.