Sherwood Park's Cootes likely going in mid-first round of upcoming NHL Draft
Sherwood Park's Braeden Cootes will be sitting in the seats at the Peacock Theatre in downtown Los Angeles Friday night as the first round of the NHL draft unfolds, in a nice suit but really wanting to put on a jersey.
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The 18-year-old dog-on-a-bone Seattle Thunderbirds right-shot centre, who was the Western Hockey League's youngest captain when he got the C on his No. 86 junior sweater last year, is going somewhere in the middle of the first 32 picks. He doesn't know where exactly, but 27 teams interviewed him at the NHL Combine in Buffalo earlier this month, in a hectic week where Cootes missed his high-school graduation but forsook the party for other things.
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Again, he's not sure what team will call his name at the NHL's decentralized draft with team personnel, except for a designated rep, back in their home cities. But, that's fine with him, the uncertainty of it all, sitting in the seats with mom Julie, a nurse, and dad Rob, an insurance broker, and his family and billet from Seattle..
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'Kind of cool to be sitting there and at any time your name can get called.'
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It won't be his hometown Oilers.
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'No, I didn't have a meeting with them,' said Cootes.
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'It was a little bit disappointing (hometown team) but I kind of knew ahead of time.'
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The interviews at the Combine can get repetitive, lots of the same questions, and trying to keep track of what teams you've talked to can sometimes be tricky. But, there are benefits.
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'I got to talk to (Detroit GM) Steve Yzerman, that was pretty cool. Rick Nash with Columbus, Jason Spezza with Pittsburgh. Guys you've watched as players growing up,' said Cootes, who was in top 10 in Combine results in bench-press, pull-ups and fitness index.
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But the Oilers took a pass, just because. They don't have a first-round pick or a second, but love Cootes' game. They will be envious spectators when a team picks Cootes, the captain of Canada's gold medal winning U18 world championship team this past spring at the international tournament in suburban Dallas.
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Cootes, who had 12 points in seven games at the tournament was a teammate of Oil Kings' defencememan Blake Fiddler, who is also going in the first round, maybe a little later than Cootes.
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That's the ultimate complement, of course. It's something easily translatable to the NHL. His WHL numbers right now don't scream elite (63 points this past season), compared to other centres in the draft, but Seattle was far from deep in support offensive help. Maybe he's an NHL third-line centre, not a top 6, but he will play because NHL teams love what he has and what he is.
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The Province
9 hours ago
- The Province
NHLPA pushes back after NHL says five acquitted players ineligible
The NHLPA responded that its players should 'have the opportunity to return to work.' Published Jul 25, 2025 • 4 minute read Clockwise from top left: Hockey players Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote enter the London courthouse for their trial on charges of sexual assault. Photo taken on April 22, 2025. Photo by Derek Ruttan / Postmedia The five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team were acquitted in the high-profile London, Ont., sexual assault trial Thursday, but the jury is still out on whether or not they'll be able to resume their NHL careers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors A few hours after the judge's decision, the NHL said Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Cal Foote would be ineligible to play while the league reviews the findings. The NHLPA responded that its players should 'have the opportunity to return to work.' The players were found not guilty of all charges in an encounter with a woman in a hotel room seven years ago, Ontario Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia ruled. The NHL stated the allegations in the case were 'very disturbing,' even if not deemed criminal. The league also called the behaviour of the players 'unacceptable.' 'We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings,' the statement read. 'While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the league.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The NHLPA said ruling the players ineligible while the NHL further evaluates the case does not align with the terms of their collective bargaining agreement. 'Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, and Michael McLeod were acquitted of all charges by Justice Carroccia of the Ontario Superior Court,' the NHLPA's statement read. 'After missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. The NHL's declaration that the Players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the Court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA. 'We are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.' Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. McLeod, Hart, Dube and Foote were active NHL players at the time of their 2024 arrests, which came days after all four players were granted leave from their clubs. Formenton, an Ottawa Senators draft pick, has not played in the NHL since 2022. At the time of the incident in 2018, Formenton had played one NHL game, while Foote, McLeod and Dube had brief stints with their clubs' American Hockey League affiliates. While the NHL's review is taking place, experts believe it's possible players will eventually return to the NHL ice. Ann Pegoraro, a sport management professor at the University of Guelph, said the NHL has not often come down hard on cases of sexual assault or domestic violence. She added that teams would evaluate whether the benefits of a player's talent outweigh the risks of fan backlash and potential loss of sponsors. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Hockey has a very different culture and has a lot more, I would say, latitude in the way that they look at individuals' personal behaviours,' Pegoraro said. 'Do I think they'll end up back on teams? I think if their skills are good enough, some teams _ not all teams — but some teams will look the other way and put them back on rosters if they can contribute to the team.' Though the players were not convicted, their reputations may still carry the weight of the allegations, said Richard McLaren, a law professor at Western University and a longtime member of the International Court of Arbitration for Sport. 'I've seen that in many sexual harassment type situations, and it doesn't just disappear because the case is over,' said McLaren, who's also a labour and commercial arbitrator and mediator with McKenzie Lake Lawyers LLP. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. There are recent examples of people returning to the NHL despite being at the centre of sexual assault controversies. In 2022, the Edmonton Oilers signed Jake Virtanen to a professional tryout less than two months after the former Vancouver Canuck was found not guilty in a sexual assault trial in Vancouver. The Oilers ultimately released Virtanen, who resumed his career in Europe. Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville — the general manager and head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks scandal in 2010 — are both back in the NHL after failing to act on Kyle Beach's claims that video coach Brad Aldrich had sexually assaulted him. Bowman became the Oilers GM last year, and Quenneville was hired as head coach of the Anaheim Ducks in May. Both needed to be reinstated by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The NHL did suspend Los Angeles Kings defenceman Slava Voynov for the entire 2019-20 season and playoffs after determining he committed acts of domestic violence. While Hart and Formenton did not play professionally during the 2024-25 season, McLeod and Dube spent last season in the Kontinental Hockey League, playing for teams based in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Foote, meanwhile, played a season in Slovakia. McLaren said those countries are more removed from scandals surrounding the accusations, while NHL teams are more likely to consider the optics. 'They operate a lot like businesses or corporations these days,' he said. 'They're going to look at how a player's history is going to affect the sponsorship organizations at the club level as well as at the NHL level. Also, the community relations that clubs have with their community are important. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'And what the impact of all this would be on their ticket sales. Those would be the kind of things that they'd be looking at.' Mac Ross, a fellow at Saint Mary's University who researches sport and communication, said American teams are more likely to consider signing a player than in Canada, where the story has been under a sharper spotlight. 'They'd face a lot more scrutiny from the Canadian public,' he said. 'I think they probably could play again. And especially if you consider that the vast majority of the NHL is in the United States, there's a pretty significant cultural shift going on down there where the rights of women are under attack.'
CBC
17 hours ago
- CBC
NHL, players' union differ on eligibility of acquitted former junior players
The NHL released a statement on Thursday saying the behaviour of the former junior hockey players acquitted of sexual assault this week was unacceptable even if it was not found to be criminal. For the moment, they're ineligible to play in the league, but the players' union believes they should be able to resume work.
Vancouver Sun
a day ago
- Vancouver Sun
NHLPA says acquitted hockey players should get to 'return to work' after sex assault verdict
Five former world junior hockey players acquitted in a high-profile sexual assault case will remain ineligible to play in the NHL, according to the league. This move has drawn backlash from the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA), which says the players deserve to return to work. On Thursday, in a London, Ont., courtroom, Justice Maria Carroccia found Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod not guilty , more than seven years after an allegation of group sexual assault emerged involving members of the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team. Despite the verdict, the players' conduct is still under review, and they are still sidelined according to a statement from the NHL. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable,' the league said. 'We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings . While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the League.' The decision drew criticism from the NHL Players' Association, which argued that the league was ignoring due process and overstepping its authority under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). In a statement, the NHLPA said that the players were acquitted of all charges, and that 'after missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. 'The NHL's declaration that the Players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the Court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.' They added, 'we are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.' The case first drew major attention in 2022, when Hockey Canada settled a civil case. It resulted in a broader scandal surrounding Hockey Canada, which triggered widespread scrutiny of how sexual violence is handled in sport, the loss of corporate sponsorships, and forced the resignation of top Hockey Canada executives. Since 2022, Hockey Canada has suspended all players involved in the case from sanctioned programming, and those suspensions remain in effect pending the outcome of an internal appeal process. In a lengthy statement, Hockey Canada said it would not comment further due to the ongoing appeal of a previous adjudicative panel decision that had examined whether players breached the organization's code of conduct. 'To ensure that we do not interfere with the integrity of the ongoing appeal … we are not able to comment further at this time,' the statement said. The organization added that it has since introduced mandatory consent training, achieved gender equity on its board, and expanded third-party reporting structures, along with other initiatives. 'As the national governing body for amateur hockey in Canada, Hockey Canada recognizes our role, responsibility and duty to be a leader in delivering a sport that is rooted in safety, inclusiveness and respect,' the statement said. The case caught the attention of many outside the hockey world as well, with federal secretary of state for sport, Adam van Koeverden, releasing a statement where he called the case a 'critical moment' in Canadian sports. He said it sparked a national conversation on the culture of men's hockey. 'It is the voices of women, and the courage and bravery it takes to come forward, that have led to the changes and toxic culture that we are seeing,' he said. 'It's critical that this work on safe sport continues across the sports system, because we know that when safeguards are weak or absent, real harm occurs.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
