Could Braeden Cootes Crack the Canucks Next Season?

Braeden Cootes is starting to look like one of those quietly important pieces in the Vancouver Canucks pipeline. Drafted 15th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft out of the Seattle Thunderbirds, the 6-foot right-shot centre from Sherwood Park has already shown he’s got a pretty complete game for his age. He’s not flashy in a highlight-reel-only way, but there’s a lot of “pro habits” in how he plays.

Cootes got some NHL experience last season.

Last season really felt like his breakout year. Between Seattle and a short stint with the Prince Albert Raiders, Cootes put up 63 points in 45 WHL games, and that included a strong finish after the midseason move. He also chipped in during the playoffs and showed he can produce when the games matter more and space gets tighter. For a young centre, that kind of adjustment on the fly is a good sign.

What stands out most about him isn’t just the offence, though. It’s the way he plays a pretty responsible two-way game. He doesn’t cheat for offence, he supports the puck well, and he’s already showing the kind of defensive awareness coaches tend to trust early. That’s usually what gets young centres into NHL conversations faster than pure scoring alone.

He even got a small taste of the NHL this past season with three games for Vancouver. It wasn’t a big sample, and he didn’t show up on the scoresheet, but the fact that he was even in the lineup at 18 going on 19 says a lot about how the organization views him. On top of that, he also got some international experience with Canada at the U20 level, mostly in a depth role, but still valuable reps against top competition.

Can Cootes make the Canucks’ roster next season?

What does next season look like? Realistically, Cootes is probably on the bubble between going back to junior or pushing full-time into the NHL/AHL environment. The Canucks will likely want him to keep developing his offensive consistency, but there’s also a clear path where his two-way game and maturity earn him a longer look in camp.

If he shows up next fall stronger, faster, and more confident offensively, it wouldn’t be shocking at all to see him stick around longer than expected. Vancouver doesn’t need him to be a star right away — they just need him to be reliable. And right now, that’s exactly what his game is starting to look like.