Cooper Williams – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

There’s no question Williams is good with the puck. He can move it through traffic as though it’s glued to his stick, even if he’s under pressure from multiple opponents. In 66 games, he finished second on the team with 57 points and third with 23 goals. He was the Blades’ most dangerous player on the power play, putting up 20 assists and 27 points with the man advantage, tied first for the most short-handed goals with one this season, and had two game-winning goals. In the faceoff dot, his 387 wins were the second-best total, as was his 45% win rate.

But Williams is most effective when he’s pushing opponents and forcing turnovers. He’s highly aware of the play around him, and he can effectively predict where he needs to be to intercept a pass or break up a play. In a game earlier this season, he intercepted a pass through the neutral zone as he was coming onto the ice for a line change. Few players have his ability to think quickly and adapt to the situation around him, and when he finds the right opportunity, he can make other teams pay.

The biggest things holding Williams back from being in the same conversation as the top centres in the 2026 Draft class are his size and intensity. In conversations with scouts, he’s been told he needs to put on more muscle, and at times, his 159-pound frame was pushed around by bigger opponents this season. He also tends to play a more patient game and not let things get to him. While he has the quickness and intelligence to suddenly change gears, his patience can sometimes leave him waiting for the next change long before it happens.

Scouts should take solace in the fact that both aspects of Williams’ game were significantly improved in the playoffs. Although he had just six points in 11 games, he was much more engaged defensively and throwing his weight around in the corners. Earlier in the season, he seemed almost hesitant to throw a hit; now, he’s looking for opportunities to push the opposing team around.

Now, Williams’ biggest challenge is marrying the two sides of his game. He can be a wizard with the puck, and he can also be a strong, two-way forward with some physicality. If he can do that night in and night out, he could become one of the most dominant centres in the WHL in 2026-27.

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Cooper Williams – NHL Draft Projection

Williams is currently looking at a third or fourth-round selection, although that could change if he’s invited to the NHL Draft Combine that’s set to take place June 1-6. If he can prove he’s added significant strength to his frame while maintaining his quickness, he could jump up to a second-round pick, especially if he endears himself to a team that needs some centre depth. Centres are at a premium this year, so that should help him rise up the draft ranks.

Quotables

“He’s very, very smart. He has a high hockey IQ. He’s in the right position. He knows where to go on the ice — both offensively and defensively. That’s his biggest asset, I’d say, is his ability to think and to read plays.” Dan DaSilva, Saskatoon Blades head coach

“Cooper Williams is a pretty fun player. With high-end passing capabilities and hockey IQ, there is a backbone to his game that indicates top-six upside, projecting more as a second-line center or a first-line winger. However, for Williams to reach this upside, he will need to get stronger, improve his explosiveness, and develop his game in a way that targets his current weaknesses. However, Williams has the upside to turn his weaknesses into his strengths, and if he does that, watch out as he could become one of the steals of the 2026 NHL draft.” James Connelly, Recruit Scouting

“Williams does a lot away from the puck. He can shoot, but is better chasing after guys and forcing turnovers. His shot can be deceptive, forcing defenders to make quicker decisions than they’d probably like. Today, though, he was known more for what he does with the puck – he has a pair of assists to help get Team East up ahead early. He definitely came to play with the spotlight, which is good because I’ve had some hit-or-miss viewings of him this season.” Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

“Williams is a highly skilled center. He has the soft touch and high-end offensive creativity to make a lot of difficult plays. When he’s competing and playing with pace, he can be a difference-maker. Williams will play on the inside, but he’s not a hard-to-play-against type. His scoring dried up a bit this season, too, compared to his great 16-year-old season, leaving questions on exactly what his projection is, even if the talent remains intriguing.” Corey Pronman, The Athletic (from ‘2026 NHL Draft prospects: Chase Reid, Alberts Smits and Keaton Verhoeff top Pronman’s ranking,’ The Athletic – 13/05/2026)

Strengths

• High intelligence
• Puckhandling
• Creativity
• Passing

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

• Needs to add muscle and strength
• Consistency
• Intensity

NHL Potential

As a 16-year-old, Williams looked primed to be one of the WHL’s top producers, but in his draft season, he finished with the same number of points. That’s raised some questions about his full potential. His draft-2 season was comparable to Sam Reinhart, Dylan Cozens, and Dylan Guenther, all of whom were high first-round picks and have become core members of their NHL teams. But his draft-1 totals are similar to Ryan Chyzowski, Reece Newkirk, and Coda Gordon, three players who topped out as minor pros.

The reality is likely somewhere in the middle. Williams has the size and intelligence to make it in the NHL, and he models his game after Nick Suzuki, so there’s a chance he becomes a strong middle-six centre with a 60-point upside, similar to an Alex Wennberg-type player who thrives in transition and can fill various roles in an NHL lineup.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk: 3/5, Reward: 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offence: 7/10, Defence: 6/10

Awards/Achievements

• 2025-26 WHL Top Prospects Game
• 2025-26 Hlinka Gretzky Cup – Bronze Medal
• 2024-25 WHL Rookie of the Year Nominee

Interviews/Links

• 2026 NHL Draft: Interview with Saskatoon Blades Centre Cooper Williams
• Player Profile: Cooper Williams
• 2026 NHL Draft Watch List: Scouting 3 Saskatoon Blades’ Draft-Eligible Players

Cooper Williams Stats

Videos