Raiders acquire Cootes, multiple defenceman traded as WHL deadline heats up

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 7, 2026.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

Braedon Cootes is going to be a Pirate in the province of Saskatchewan.

The Vancouver Canucks prospect was traded Tuesday by the Seattle Thunderbirds to the East division-leading Prince Albert Raiders as part of a 12-piece deal.

Prince Albert also received a fourth and sixth-round pick in the 2026 WHL Draft and a conditional second-round pick in 2028. They sent Seattle forward Ethan Bibeau (2007), the rights to Knox Burton, Tripp Fischer and Diego Gutierrez, as well as four draft picks, a first and second-round pick in the 2026 WHL Draft, a third-round pick in 2027 and a first-round pick in 2028.

Cootes returns to the WHL after winning bronze with Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota. He has 10 goals and 23 points in 17 games this season with Seattle. Bibeau has a goal and five points in 15 games this season with the Raiders.

The Kelowna Rockets made a pair of trades to bolster their Memorial Cup hosting roster. They acquired overage forward Ty Halaburda from the Vancouver Giants, as well as a 2028 second-round and fourth-round pick in exchange for defenceman Will Sharpe (2007).

Halaburda has 20 goals and 39 points in 40 games this season. He’s surpassed the 20-goal mark in four consecutive seasons. Sharpe, acquired by Kelowna at last year’s deadline from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, has three goals and 16 points in 31 games this season.

Kelowna also acquired 2006-born defenceman Parker Alcos from the Edmonton Oil Kings. As part of the trade they also received a third-round pick in the 2026 CHL Import draft as well as a 2028 seventh-round WHL draft pick. Going to Edmonton was a package of three draft picks, including a first-round pick in the 2026 CHL Import draft. They also received a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick.

The 6-foot-4 Alcos has two goals and 14 point in 31 games this season with Edmonton.

Edmonton filled the hole on the blue line with a separate trade, acquiring overage blue liner Carter Sotheran from the Portland Winterhawks. Portland received 2005-born defenceman Niko Tsakumis as well as a 2027 first-round pick and a 2029 fourth-round pick.

Sotheran sits fourth in Winterhawks scoring this season with six goals and 37 points in 37 games. Tsakumis has six assists in 23 games this year.

The WHL trade deadline is Thursday at 6 p.m. MST.

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