Braeden Cootes – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Braeden Cootes

2024-25 Team: Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Date of Birth: Feb. 9, 2007
Place of Birth: Sherwood Park, AB
Ht: 6-foot-0 Wt: 183 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Centre
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 first-year eligible

Rankings

You’d be hard pressed to find a harder worker than Braeden Cootes. Whenever the Seattle Thunderbirds centre was on the ice, he made something happen, making him one of the most fun players to watch in the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season. But he’s more than just a highly competitive player, and his combination of a strong work ethic, high intelligence, and solid tools has made him a highly coveted prospect ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Cootes’ work ethic is infectious. He has an unrelenting motor and no matter the score, he never stops pursuing the puck and pushing the play. Few teams in the league have a counter to him simply because he’ll just outwork whoever he’s up against. For that reason, he’s often the first player into the corner or the front of the net and fearlessly challenges bigger players for positioning. Some more strength could help him win more of these battles, but already, he doesn’t lose many because he keeps coming back when he’s pushed away.

Braeden Cootes Seattle Thunderbirds
Braeden Cootes, Seattle Thunderbirds (Photo credit: Rick Elvin)

With an insatiable drive and never-say-die attitude, it stands to reason that Cootes might get into some penalty trouble, but he finished this season with just 18 penalty minutes. Only six Thunderbirds who played at least 30 games had fewer penalties than him. That’s because Cootes is a highly intelligent player who knows where to put himself to gain a clean advantage. He doesn’t get caught because he’s aware of all players on the ice, allowing him to put himself in the right place at the right time.

Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide

Cootes finished this season with a team-leading 63 points in 60 games, and his 26 goals tied for second on the Thunderbirds. But, despite his point total, he’s not a naturally gifted offensive player. He doesn’t have enough power in his shot to be a big-time sniper, and his puck movement lacks the creativity and deception of strong playmakers. However, he still showed excellent puck work throughout 2024-25 and was the Thunderbirds’ go-to offensive player in most situations because of his ability to react impossibly quickly to sudden changes. That gives him a huge advantage when chasing down pucks or removing lost possession, since he is frequently the first one to jump on the loose puck. You can also see his quick reaction time in his wrist shot, which he can put a lot of power into without needing much space, and his sharp passes right on his teammate’s tape.

Cootes is just as effective on defence, playing a strong, 200-foot game that has earned him the trust of his coaches, which has led to him being deployed in nearly every situation. He knows exactly how to apply pressure to best help his team, and while he sometimes doesn’t quite get where he needs to be, he will always fight to fix any mistake. It’s no wonder he was named the youngest captain in Thunderbirds’ history this season and was one of the youngest to be voted team MVP at the end of the season. He leads by example and asks everyone on his team to work as hard as he does.

The biggest thing holding Cootes back right now is his skating. While it is by no means a weakness, he has a heavier stride that limits his acceleration. When he gets up to top speed, he’s able to win most foot races, but those first few steps can leave him a step or two behind, forcing him to rely on intensity and positioning to slow down his opponent. If he were a bit more efficient on his skates, he could propel himself into the top tier of NHL prospects.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Braeden Cootes – NHL Draft Projection

Cootes plays a game that will easily translate to the NHL, and even though he doesn’t have the highest potential, he’ll be highly coveted on draft day. Right now, it looks like he might fall in the 20-25 range, but he could sneak up into the 15-20 range like Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, who was also praised for his work ethic before the Detroit Red Wings snagged him 15th overall. A big performance at the World Championships helped, though, so Cootes will need to be a top player for Canada at the U18 World Hockey Championship to stake out his claim as a potential lottery pick.

Quotables

“Cootes might become more of an energy forward in the NHL, but he’ll be a good one at that. The thing that really stands out here is just how much he wants the puck, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Cootes is also a solid playmaker, often easily finding teammates in open space. I think his value goes far beyond his numbers, which you want from a center. He’s not small at six feet, but he’s not huge, either. That doesn’t seem to hurt him, though, because he’s not afraid to play with an edge.” Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

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“Cootes is the type of prospect that you need to watch closely, while also understanding the nuances of his situation, in order to properly appreciate, because simply looking at his stats will never tell the full story. As a true heart-and-soul kind of player and a natural leader, the impact that he leaves both on and off the ice cannot be measured in goals and assists alone, though his numbers in those departments are both still highly respectable. Mix in the ability to play center in all situations and the ease with which he earns the trust of coaches, and the overall result is someone who is surely being coveted highly by NHL scouts.” Derek Neumeier, McKeen’s Hockey

“If you like players who play with pace and intensity, Cootes is your guy. He plays a strong 200-foot game because of his motor, allowing him to play up and down the lineup on any team he’s been a part of. On the underwhelming Thunderbirds, Cootes hasn’t been putting up eye-popping totals, but whenever you watch the team, you instantly know who their best player is. Cootes will improve as the team surrounds him with talent, but that just won’t be this year.” Tony Ferrari, The Hockey News

Strengths

  • Work ethic and pace
  • Attention to detail
  • Competitiveness

Under Construction/Improvements to Make

  • Skating
  • Strength
  • Faceoff consistency

NHL Potential

Cootes plays a game that is well-suited for the NHL. He works hard, gets into the tough areas, and plays a strong two-way game, all traits that have allowed his coaches to trust him with more and more responsibility. However, given his lack of natural talent with the puck, he will likely top out as a middle-six energy player, scoring upwards of 60 points. He’ll also need to add more muscle if he wants to stick as a centre in the pro ranks. Still, a lot of that sounds like Zach Hyman, who hit 54 goals last season with the Edmonton Oilers. If Cootes finds himself in the right system, the sky is the limit.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 1/5, Reward – 3/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offence – 6.5/10, Defence – 7/10

Awards/Achievements

  • 2023 AEHL U18 Second All-Star Team
  • 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Gold Medal
  • 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Most Penalized Player
  • 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge
  • 2025 Team Canada U18 World Junior Championship

Braeden Cootes Stats

Videos

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