Top Canucks draft pick Braeden Cootes misses world junior camp exhibition games with injury
Vancouver Canucks 2025 first-round draft Braeden Cootes sat out Team Canada's three exhibition games at the world junior summer camp in Minneapolis last week with an undisclosed injury.
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Canada coach Dale Hunter told NHL.com's Adam Kimelman that Cootes was among three players sidelined with 'light stuff, not heavy stuff,' and Kimelman referred to the 18-year-old Seattle Thunderbirds centre as missing action because he was 'banged up.'
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There's been no update on his status from the Canucks. It's unclear whether he was injured at camp or this is a nagging issue.
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Vancouver picked Cootes at No. 15 overall back in June and signed the 6-foot, 185-pound right-handed shot to his three-year, entry-level contract 10 days later.
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Canada lost 6-3 to Finland and 8-4 to Sweden before beating the U.S. 6-2 in Minneapolis last week.
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The world junior tournament uns Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
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Canada coach Dale Hunter described injuries to Michael Misa, Henry Mews and Braeden Cootes as "light stuff, not heavy stuff." He said there's a chance one of them, along with defenseman Harrison Brunicke (illness), could play tomorrow vs. the U.S. Will be a game-time decision.
— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) August 1, 2025
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Canada and USA lineups for today's final game at the World Junior Summer Showcase. Michael Misa and Henry Mews back for Canada after sitting out yesterday. Braeden Cootes (banged up) and Harrison Brunicke (illness) sitting out. pic.twitter.com/GlqgveTSXV
— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) August 2, 2025
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Cootes was one of 20 forwards and 36 players overall at the Canada camp. There were eight forwards invited who did not attend, and that list included Kelowna Rockets winger Tij Iginla and Brandon Wheat Kings centre Roger McQueen, who both missed most of this past season with injuries.
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Of the 44 players invited, 11 are 18 year olds, including Cootes. The rest are 19. Seven players from the group played in this past season's world juniors.
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Cootes was captain of the Canadian team that won the Under-18 world championship in May in Frisco, Texas. He finished that tournament with six goals and 12 points in seven games.
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Cootes was also captain of the Thunderbirds this past season, sharing the 'C' initially with Canucks 2023 third rounder Sawyer Mynio and then taking it full time when the Thunderbirds traded blue liner Mynio to the Calgary Hitmen in early January.
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Mynio played for Team Canada at the world juniors this past season in Ottawa. The team was bounced in the quarterfinals with a 4-3 loss to Czechia.
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Cootes tallied 26 times and had 63 points in 60 regular season games in his second full season in Seattle. He notched 14 goals and put up 35 points in 64 games as a WHL rookie in 2023-24.
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Seattle makes its first visit to B.C. in the WHL's second week of the season, playing a weekend twin bill with the Kamloops Blazers on Sept. 26-27. They aren't at the Langley Events Centre to face the Vancouver Giants until Feb. 6. Their other trip to the LEC is Feb. 27.
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Seattle won the WHL title in 2022-23. They finished ninth in the 11-team Western Conference at 27-38-2-1 in 2023-24 and eighth at 30-33-4-1 last season. They pushed the first-place Everett Silvertips to six games in the first round, including losing twice in overtime.
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