SportsHockeyCanucks

Vancouver Canucks' Braeden Cootes has dream start to WHL playoffs

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Mar 28 2026, 4:41 pm
Vancouver Canucks' Braeden Cootes has dream start to WHL playoffs

The Vancouver Canucks won’t participate in the NHL playoffs, but postseason action is already underway for some of their prospects.

Arguably, there’s no Canucks prospect worth following on their postseason journey more than Braeden Cootes.

It’s been an eventful season for the 19-year-old, who began his season playing NHL games for the Canucks, before eventually being sent back to the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds.

He then suited up for Canada at the World Juniors. One day after winning bronze, he was dealt from the Thunderbirds to the Prince Albert Raiders.

The league-leading Raiders kicked off their Memorial Cup journey on Friday night, with Cootes leading the way.

During a first-period power play, Cootes took the puck at the top of the circle and sniped a shot past Red Deer Rebels goaltender Matthew Kondro.

He wasn’t done there, scoring again in the third period to give Prince Albert a 3-1 lead.

Not only that, but he showed some fight following the goal, mixing it up with Rebels’ Jake Missura, after the defenceman hit Cootes into the boards, even though the puck was already in the net.

Cootes registered an assist on the game-sealing goal in the final minutes of the third period. He showed patience with the puck near the offensive zone blueline before finding teammate Brock Cripps. The defenceman had an open lane and sniped a shot past Kondro.

The Raiders ended the night with a 4-1 win, taking a 1-0 series lead. Cootes led the way with two goals and an assist.

After scoring twice on Friday night, Cootes doubled his WHL playoff goal totals. He scored twice in six games last season for the Thunderbirds, adding another six assists.

Cootes was one of six Canucks prospects who participated in CHL playoff action last night. The five other players are Parker Alcos (Kelowna Rockets), Riley Patterson (Niagara Ice Dogs), Kieren Dervin (Kingston Frontenacs), Gabriel Chiarot (Kitchener Rangers) and Alexei Medvedev (London Knights).

ADVERTISEMENT