VANCOUVER — Forward Braeden Cootes has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks.
Vancouver selected Cootes in the first round, 15th overall, of this year’s NHL Entry Draft.
Cootes, 18, completed his third season with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League in 2024-25.
He had 26 goals and 37 assists in 60 games with 18 penalty minutes and a plus-5 defensive rating.
Cootes was named Seattle’s co-captain on Nov. 22, 2024, and took over the Thunderbirds’ captaincy on Jan. 4.
He led all Thunderbirds players in assists and points, while tying for second on the team in goals throughout the regular season.
The five-foot-11, 183-pound centre has played in 131 career WHL games, all with Seattle. He has a total of 40 goals and 59 assists over his major junior career.
Raised in Sherwood Park, Alta., Cootes has represented Canada on the international stage on numerous occasions, including the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge; 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, winning gold; and the 2025 U18 world championships, serving as the team’s captain and capturing gold.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025.
The Canadian Press
