Vancouver Canucks 2025 NHL Draft Target: Braeden Cootes

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5 hours ago

The Vancouver Canucks enter the 2025 NHL Entry Draft with a pick in each round. Leading up to the draft day, we at The Hockey News will be profiling a different prospect who the Canucks could take with each of their picks. Today's prospect is Seattle Thunderbirds center Braeden Cootes, who Vancouver could select 15th overall.
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Cootes is a leader on and off the ice. Listed at 6'0", 183 lbs, the right-shot center served as not only captain of the Thunderbirds, but also wore the "C" for Canada at the 2025 U18s. There is also reported interest between the Canucks and Cootes as Vancouver did take him to dinner at this year's NHL Draft Combine.
Starting in the offensive zone, Cootes excels as a play driver. While he does have a good shot, he is more known for his playmaking ability, as he can deliver crisp tape-to-tape passes to teammates in scoring positions. Cootes is also a player who is always moving, and, when he doesn't have the puck, will relocate to an open area in order to collect passes.
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The transition game is always a strength for Cootes. Thanks to his strong puck-handling ability, he thrived at creating not just zone entries but also zone exits. Cootes was also able to show off his playmaking skills in the transition game, as he could find teammates who had already left the defensive zone and hit them with accurate passes in stride.
Lastly, Cootes' ability in the defensive zone is one of the reasons why he will be a top pick in this year's draft. He can shut down the opposition's top players not just at even strength, but on the penalty kill as well. One of the best board battlers in the WHL this season, Cootes was able to create turnovers consistently thanks to his physical brand of defensive play.
The next step in Cootes' development will be using his shot more consistently in the offensive zone. While he scored 26 goals in 60 games, he often chose to be a playmaker and would sometimes give up shooting opportunities in order to find an open teammate. If Cootes can generate shots during the regular season at the same rate he did during the U18s, it will go a long way in helping him become a top-six forward at the pro level.
In the end, Cootes is exactly the type of player Vancouver needs in their prospect pool. He is a right-shot center who is hard to play against and has shown he can step up for his team on the biggest stage. If the Canucks keep their first-round pick this year, it will not be shocking if they use it to select Cootes.
Braeden Cootes of the Seattle Thunderbirds (Photo Credit: Brian Liesse/Seattle Thunderbirds/WHL)
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