Eliteprospects
Canada Braeden Cootes
#86 Seattle Thunderbirds / WHL - 25/26
1-time Hlinka Gretzky Cup Gold Medal 1
1-time U18 WJC Gold Medal 1
1-time John Reid Memorial MVP 1
Date of Birth
Feb 09, 2007
Position
C/RW
Age
18
Height
6'0" / 183 cm
Place of Birth
Sherwood Park, AB, CAN
Weight
185 lbs / 84 kg
Nation
Canada
Shoots
R
Youth Team
Sherwood Park MHA
Contract
27/28
Cap Hit
$975,000 Powered by
NHL Rights
Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks / Signed
Drafted
2025 round 1 #15 overall by Vancouver Canucks
Agency
PREMIUM

A one-man forecheck, Cootes’ motor and energy are undeniably elite. In a single shift, he can amass multiple retrievals, guiding opponents into a big hit, spinning off a check and passing, winning another race by winning inside position metres before the boards, and repeating over and over until the puck finds twine. Primarily a playmaker, he escapes with quick passes inside and occasionally deceives opponents to find a backdoor option. After passing, he dashes to the net to create traffic and collect loose pucks. -EliteProspects 2025 NHL Draft Guide

© Photo: Dan Hickling

Use/Embed statistics

Braeden Cootes Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2020-21 Sherwood Park Flyers U15 AAA AEHL U15 4* 0* 3* 3* 0* -* |
2021-22 Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep CSSHL U15 30* 29* 38* 67* 16* -* | Playoffs 3 3 8 11 0 -
Yale Hockey Academy U17 Prep CSSHL U17 3* 2* 1* 3* 0* -* |
Yale Hockey Academy U18 Prep CSSHL U18 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* -* | Playoffs 3 0 0 0 0 -
2022-23 Sherwood Park Kings U18 AAA AEHL U18 27* 14* 24* 38* 20* -* | Playoffs 2 1 1 2 0 -
Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 7* 0* 1* 1* 0* 4* |
2023-24 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 64* 14* 21* 35* 16* -22* |
Canada Red U17 WHC-17 7* 2* 2* 4* 2* -* |
2024-25 Seattle Thunderbirds “C” WHL 60* 26* 37* 63* 18* 5* | Playoffs 6 2 6 8 4 -3
Canada U18 “C” WJC-18 7* 6* 6* 12* 0* 7* |
2025-26 Vancouver Canucks NHL 3* 0* 0* 0* 0* -2* |
Seattle Thunderbirds “C” WHL 17* 10* 13* 23* 2* 3* |
Canada U20 WJC-20 2* 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* |
Projected WHL 54* 32* 41* 73* 6* 10* |
2023-24 NHL stats powered by NHL.com

Braeden Cootes Tournament Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2016-17 Team Brick Alberta Brick Invitational 6* 3* 2* 5* 2* -* |
2018-19 Western Canada Selects U12 WSI U12 8* 7* 6* 13* -* -* |
2021-22 Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep John Reid Memorial 6* 6* 11* 17* 2* -* |
Team Alberta Blue Alberta Cup 5* 3* 4* 7* 4* -* |
2022-23 Sherwood Park Kings U18 AAA Circle K Classic 4* 1* 2* 3* 0* -* |
Team Alberta CWG 5* 0* 1* 1* 0* -* |
2024-25 Canada U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup 3* 0* 1* 1* 27* -* |
Team CHL Prospects Challenge 2* 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* |
2025-26 Canada U20 International-Jr 3* 1* 0* 1* 0* -* |

Braeden Cootes Career Totals

League Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- | Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/-
AEHL U15 1 4* 0* 3* 3* 0.75* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
AEHL U18 1 27* 14* 24* 38* 1.41* 20* -* | 1 2 1 * 1 * 2 * 1.00 * 0 * - *
Alberta Cup 1 5* 3* 4* 7* 1.40* 4* -* | 0 * * * * * *
Brick Invitational 1 6* 3* 2* 5* 0.83* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
Circle K Classic 1 4* 1* 2* 3* 0.75* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
CSSHL U15 1 30* 29* 38* 67* 2.23* 16* -* | 1 3 3 * 8 * 11 * 3.67 * 0 * - *
CSSHL U17 1 3* 2* 1* 3* 1.00* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
CSSHL U18 1 0* 0* 0* 0* -* 0* -* | 1 3 0 * 0 * 0 * 0.00 * 0 * - *
CWG 1 5* 0* 1* 1* 0.20* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
Hlinka Gretzky Cup 1 3* 0* 1* 1* 0.33* 27* -* | 0 * * * * * *
International-Jr 1 3* 1* 0* 1* 0.33* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
John Reid Memorial 1 6* 6* 11* 17* 2.83* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
NHL 1 3* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -2* | 0 * * * * * *
Prospects Challenge 1 2* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
WHC-17 1 7* 2* 2* 4* 0.57* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
WHL 4 148* 50* 72* 122* 0.82* 36* -10* | 1 6 2 * 6 * 8 * 1.33 * 4 * -3 *
WJC-18 1 7* 6* 6* 12* 1.71* 0* 7* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-20 1 2* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
WSI U12 1 8* 7* 6* 13* 1.63* -* -* | 0 * * * * * *

Braeden Cootes Career Highlights

Season
Awards by season
Transactions
DATE STATUS FROM TO SOURCE
10/14/2025
10/14/2025 Up/Down Vancouver Canucks Seattle Thunderbirds
07/09/2025
07/09/2025 Confirmed Seattle Thunderbirds Vancouver Canucks
06/10/2022
06/10/2022 Confirmed Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep Seattle Thunderbirds
Player Biography and Trivia

Drafted 2022, 1 #10 overall by Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL Prospects Draft

2025 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #18 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE

2025 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #16 by Elite Prospects

2025 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #14 by ISS Hockey

2025 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #21 by FCHockey

2025 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #22 by TSN/Craig Button

2025 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #17 by McKeen's Hockey

2025 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #20 by NHL Central Scouting

2025 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #21 by DobberProspects