“Cootes hasn’t scored at high levels, but he’s played on a thin Seattle team and was an important player often for Canada’s U18 team. He’s a likable all-around forward. He’s a good, if not very good, skater who plays with a lot of pace. He has strong offensive skills, playmaking and finishing abilities. He creates offense at fast tempos and in a direct manner.” Pronman said.
He added, “He’s not that big, but he plays big, showing a high compete level and not backing down from physical play. There will be some minor debates on how much offense Cootes will have in the NHL, but early indicators are that it could be just good enough to be a top-two-line center who provides two-way value.”