Braeden Cootes began the season in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks.
But that was short lived for the 18-year old first-round pick. Now, he’s back in the WHL with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Cootes was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
He played three games, for a total of 32 minutes of NHL ice time, before the Canucks decided it was time for his development to return to a lower level. He didn’t have a point in that initial foray into the top league.
It’s a fate not uncommon for young NHL draft picks. They get the cup of coffee, then head back down.
Why didn’t Canucks keep Braeden Cootes, instead sent him to WHL?
This is a move that combines contract concerns with developmental thoughts.
Cootes shone brightly in the preseason to earn a spot on the NHL roster as a reward.
But rookies like Cootes have a nine-game window. After nine games, their entry-level contract begins. If they are sent back to junior hockey before their 10th game, the first year doesn’t tick off on the contract.
The Canucks decided Cootes wasn’t ready, so they didn’t start that timer yet.
When the Canucks sent Cootes back, head coach Adam Foote said, “I think it’s the right thing for his development.”
Cootes will surely be back in the next year or two, but for now, he’s back in Seattle playing a lot of minutes as a star player, continuing to hone his craft to be ready for an eventual return to the Canucks.
