Braeden Cootes 2025 NHL Draft Profile

It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier this week, we released the TWC consolidated 2025 NHL Draft rankings. The 2025 NHL Draft will take place on June 27th and 28th in Los Angeles. This time around, we’ll be taking a look at centre Braeden Cootes. Captain of the young Seattle Thunderbirds, Cootes also led his team in points, showing off his talents that will see him get drafted inside the first round.

Who is Braedan Cootes?

PlayerPositionHandednessHeightWeightBraedan CootesCRight6’0″183 lbs

Cootes’ on-ice production

YearDraft RelativeLeagueTeamGPGAP2021–22D-3CSSHL U15Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep30293867CSSHL U17Yale Hockey Academy U17 Prep32132022–23D-2AEHL U18Sherwood Park Kings U18 AAA27142438WHLSeattle Thunderbirds70112023–24D-1WHLSeattle Thunderbirds641421352024–25D+0WHLSeattle Thunderbirds60263763WJC-18Canada U1876612

Cootes started to shine when he was playing Prep hockey with Yale Academy. In 33 total games, he amassed 31 goals and 70 points. Completely dominating with an over two points per game clip. This performance led to him being drafted 10th overall in the 2022 WHL Prospects draft by the Seattle Thunderbirds.

The following season, Cootes would play AAA in his hometown of Sherwood Park. His great production would continue with 14 goals and 38 points in 27 games. He would trail the team by three points, but in nine fewer games. Throughout the year, he received games with the Thunderbirds. Across a total of seven games, he would put up one point.

WHL career

The 2023–24 season was the call for Cootes to have his WHL rookie season. The Thunderbirds had just come off their dominant season, winning the WHL and competing at the Memorial Cup. However, the team had been fully decimated and missed the playoffs with players aging out and trading away the rest. Cootes was a part of the new age for the team. In his rookie year, Cootes would impress with his 14 goals and 35 points in 64 games.

Cootes’ role would grow exponentially with the Thunderbirds for his draft year. He was named captain and was now set to be one of, if not the best, players on the team. Cootes would live up to the pressure. In 60 games, his production would climb to 26 goals and 63 points. He led the team in production and dragged them back into the playoffs. Unfortunately, there was no miracle run, and the Everett Silvertips bounced them in six games. Cootes showed promise once again, being the Thunderbirds’ best player with eight points in six games.

With the U18 World Juniors that just took place last month, Cootes was also selected to be the captain for the country of Canada. Cootes would lead the team in points with six goals and 12 points in seven games. His leadership and performance would guide Canada to a gold medal.

Cootes’ strengths

Smarts

Cootes is an incredibly smart player. In the offensive zone, Cootes has a strong understanding of where he should be and what play should be made. He doesn’t often make super flashy plays, but he stays composed and can read the game at a high level. He’ll find a way to pass his teammates the puck in situations where a great chance will be generated. Moving around the zone, Cootes will position himself to make the best play.

He can find the space to be able to step into a shot and give it more danger. You may also see him drive the net to either get around defenders or score a grittier goal. In any zone, you can sense that Cootes has a strong awareness of what is going on around him. He processes the game at a noticeably higher level than his peers. This allows Cootes to be a weapon in the transition game. Offensively or defensively, Cootes knows where to position himself and rarely makes a mistake in his choices.

Compete

Another trait that most will point towards when watching Cootes is his compete level. He rarely gives up on a shift and gives it his all every game. That’s represented in the early captaincies he’s received. Cootes’ compete level can be tied into his smarts as his ability to read the game allows him to want to put in the effort to make the plays he sees. He doesn’t let pressure slow him down. If the game is moving fast in the offensive or defensive zone, he doesn’t start to glide and will continue to lay out all the effort he can for his team.

When he’s feeling an opponent heavy on his back, he charges forward and makes the play he wants to make. Cootes will not shy away from puck battles and will go into the corners even if he is outnumbered. His drive to continue the flow for his team is an incredibly valuable asset. With the motor and smarts Cootes has, it also makes him possibly the best two-way forward in this year’s draft class.

Offensive potential

Cootes isn’t typically regarded as a top-end offensive player. That isn’t to say he doesn’t have his flashes, though. When watching Cootes, you will see him have spurts of showing his full offensive capabilities. Whether that be using his skating to his full advantage or wristing off a powerful shot. In terms of skating, Cootes has had times where he’s turned on the jets and completely blown past the defenders. Other times, he’s used impressive edgework to move the puck around the zone.

Shooting-wise, you might catch him in tight with defenders and pulling off a drag release around the defender’s stick. You often see him make the simple yet effective passes, but you can catch him being creative and using high-end vision to set up his teammates with a highlight reel play. Cootes has strong puck control and moves around the zone extremely well. He doesn’t always have the fastest hands, but those shine through and wow the crowd.

Cootes’ areas of improvement

Overall consistency

The Thunderbirds weren’t the greatest team, which definitely is a factor, but when you look at Cootes, you feel he should be producing more. It’s not even just production, though. As it was sort of hinted towards in his last strength, Cootes can’t seem to fully grasp the talent he has. He has shown that he can skate, shoot, or pass well, but it just isn’t consistent enough to be a full strength.

Working on the skills he has and being able to make them a consistent threat will do wonders for Cootes’ development. It could really raise the ceiling he currently has.

Cootes’ comparables

A player that I see Cootes having a lot of similarities to is the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli. Both have a strong sense of what to do on the ice and rarely make mistakes. They also have a compete level that makes them the players that they are. You may also see a little bit of that offensive flair that they hide away. Cirelli has been that 2C/3C that I see Cootes serving as throughout his career.

Another player I can see comparisons to is Seth Jarvis of the Carolina Hurricanes. Jarvis is definitely a better skater and more offensively skilled, but the basics of their games are very similar. If Cootes can raise his ceiling, I believe a Jarvis-esque player will be what we see out of him.

Fit with the Flames

Cootes is a natural centre, and that’s probably the biggest need for the Flames. I wouldn’t at all if the Flames drafted Cootes and he could come something great with proper development, but I don’t think he’s necessarily what the Flames need. While a centre would be good, Cootes is a player that teams needing safer picks will likely target. I think the Flames need to take bigger swings and risk on the basis of potential. However, Cootes would not be a bad pick either.

Summary

Cootes brings a very balanced game to the table. His smarts are the key factor to his game and make him stand out amongst players his age. It helps that he also has a compete level that doesn’t slow down. He’s shown glimpses of further offensive capabilities but will need to be more consistent to raise his ceiling. It feels comfortable to say that Cootes will be a middle-six player at the NHL level. With the correct development, there’s a good chance he can take the extra step and be a key player in a team’s top-six.

Risk: 1.5/5

Reward: 3.75/5

Projection: Middle-six centre with potential to be top-six

Check out all of The Win Column’s individual player profiles of selected 2025 NHL Draft prospects:

Braeden Cootes 2025 NHL Draft Profile

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