Vancouver Canucks rookie centre Braeden Cootes, the 15th overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft, is determined to secure a regular roster spot in the upcoming season. After appearing in three NHL games last year, the 19-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alberta, is focused on making a significant impact rather than merely surviving at hockey's highest level.
Development camp showcases Cootes' competitive drive
At a 3-on-3 tournament concluding a three-day development camp, Cootes displayed his full arsenal: a breakaway goal at speed, quick hands to finish in tight, a cheeky backhand to pick the short side high, and impressive puck-handling to elude defenders. Canucks development coach Mikael Samuelsson praised his intensity, noting that Cootes was first in line for skating drills and consistently wanted the puck.
“He’s impressive,” Samuelsson said. “It looked like he was on a mission to go somewhere else (in the NHL) and not be at a development camp. He plays at a high pace and skill, and wanted to be a difference-maker out here. It’s fun to see. He’s been like that the whole week.”
Path to the NHL: AHL or roster spot?
Cootes, who stands 6-foot and weighs 183 pounds, had a stellar WHL season split between Seattle and Prince Albert, amassing 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 45 games. He is eligible to play in the AHL, where he could log significant minutes in Abbotsford and develop in all situations. However, his mindset is set on the NHL.
“I’m still trying to get to the NHL. It’s not like I can be comfortable and I have to keep working to get better,” Cootes stressed. “I think I can be a leader out here (development camp), and I’ve been in the organization a year and know how they run things.”
He added: “I think I’m prepared a lot more mentally. I can be a little tentative in new situations and being in those games — I know it was just three NHL games — but it really helped me in getting to know everybody and hanging out with older guys. It helped to get the experience and be more comfortable. I’m a lot more ready this year.”
Learning from NHL debut
Cootes made his NHL debut against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 9, 2025, at Rogers Arena, a game where he was targeted as a rookie rite of passage. Reflecting on that experience, he said, “There was a lot going in that first game and it happened quick because nobody expected me to make the team. I don’t know if I was fully mentally ready for it, but it was fun and good to get it under my belt.”
His goal for the upcoming season is clear: “I want to be better than last year and it will be pretty easy to tell if I’m ready or not. I just don’t want to be there (NHL) to survive, I want to make an impact, produce, and help the team win. If I’m not doing that, then maybe the AHL is the right path. But I’m confident I can help this team and that’s my goal.”
Comparisons to Nick Suzuki
Observers see similarities between Cootes and Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, a Selke Trophy winner who hit the 100-point plateau this season (29 goals, 72 assists). Like Suzuki, Cootes is not the biggest centre but is quick, responsible, and excels off the rush. Cootes acknowledged the comparison: “That’s for sure a guy I could be one day and that’s my goal. A really good player I like to watch and kind of a similar path (first-round picks) and the same size with similar skill sets.”
Canucks prospect Caleb Malhotra, who faced Cootes in the 3-on-3 tournament, was impressed. “Super skilled,” Malhotra said. “On one of the first shifts, he just burned me wide and he’s a great skater. Pretty excited to play with him in the future. Very exciting player with elite skill.”
Youth movement in the NHL
The NHL is increasingly a young man's game: 17 players aged 19 played this season, and six were just 18, including Calder Trophy-winning defenceman Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders (59 points) and North Vancouver's Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks, who set a franchise record with 115 points (45 goals, 70 assists) and finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting after 63 points as an 18-year-old. Whether Cootes can follow that path as a 19-year-old roster regular remains to be seen, but his confidence and skill suggest he is ready to try.
