Canucks News & Rumours: Cootes & Willander Could Help Shape Vancouver’s Future

The Vancouver Canucks are entering an important stage of their roster building. The organization is focused on developing young talent, creating internal competition, and finding players who can grow into bigger roles. Sometimes those players come through trades or free-agent signings, but sometimes the biggest additions are already wearing the team’s colours.

That is where players like Braeden Cootes and Tom Willander come into the picture. Both were recent first-round picks, took important steps in their development this season, and showed signs they could become important pieces of the next version of the Canucks. They are at different stages, but the message is the same: Vancouver has young players pushing their way into the conversation.

Braeden Cootes Is Starting to Knock on the Door

One interesting thing about building a team is that sometimes the biggest improvements come from within the organization. For the Canucks, Cootes could be one of those players. The 2025 first-round pick arrived at training camp with plenty to prove, but instead of looking like a teenager trying to find his way, he looked like someone who belonged. His strong performance throughout the preseason earned him a spot on the opening-night roster, and his maturity quickly became one of the things teammates noticed.

Cootes only played three NHL games before returning to junior hockey, but the experience was valuable. Vancouver wasn’t expecting instant offence from a young player. They wanted to see whether he could handle the pace, physicality, and responsibility of NHL hockey. Once he returned to the Western Hockey League (WHL), Cootes showed exactly why the Canucks were excited about him, putting up 63 points in 45 games and earning recognition as the league’s Most Sportsmanlike Player.

From where I sit, the most encouraging part of Cootes’ season was how many different parts of his game continued to improve. He represented Canada at the World Juniors, helped Prince Albert make a deep playoff run after a midseason trade, and became one of the best players in the WHL postseason with 23 points in 20 games. With the new opportunity for 19-year-old CHL players to move to the American Hockey League (AHL), Cootes’ junior career may be over, but the next challenge begins. If he continues developing his two-way game, faceoff ability, and leadership skills, the Canucks could have another young player pushing for an NHL job sooner than expected.

Tom Willander Could Be Vancouver’s Next Top-Four Defenceman

One of the biggest positives for Vancouver this season was watching Willander grow into an NHL defenceman. The 2025 first-round pick didn’t have the smoothest start, beginning the season with the AHL Abbotsford Canucks before earning his NHL opportunity. But once he arrived in Vancouver, he showed why the organization believed he could become an important part of its future, finishing the season with five goals and 21 points in 70 games.

The numbers only tell part of the story. As the season progressed, Willander earned more trust and more responsibility. Over his final 27 games, he averaged more than 20 minutes per night and began to get chances on both the power play and the penalty kill. What stood out even more was his approach. For a youngster, Willander showed a willingness to look honestly at his own game, talk about areas where he needed to improve, and understand what the team needed from him.

This is exactly the type of rookie season teams hope for from a young defenceman. Willander wasn’t expected to arrive as a finished product, but he showed the skating ability, competitiveness, and confidence to suggest there is plenty more to come. If he continues improving his defensive reads and becomes more comfortable in special-teams situations, the Canucks could have a reliable top-four defenceman for years to come.

What’s Next for the Canucks?

The encouraging thing about Cootes and Willander is that the Canucks don’t have to rush either player. Both have shown enough to suggest they could become important pieces, but giving them time to develop could help them reach their full potential. Cootes now gets the challenge of proving he can bring his junior success into the professional game, while Willander looks to build on a strong rookie season and take on even more responsibility.

This is exactly the kind of internal growth the Canucks hope for. Their future won’t be built around one player or one big move. Instead, it will come from several young players taking steps forward together. Cootes and Willander represent two important parts of that future, and watching how quickly they are ready to take on bigger roles may be one of Vancouver’s most interesting storylines heading into next season.