After taking Game 1 of the WHL Final, Braeden Cootes and the Prince Albert Raiders were handed four consecutive losses, falling short of a league championship and a spot at this year’s Memorial Cup.

On Friday night, the Raiders hosted the Everett Silvertips in Game 5, looking to stave off elimination and send the series back to Washington for a chance to force Game 7.

But for the fifth straight game, it was Everett striking first.

The Silvertips opened the scoring midway through the first period before adding another late in the frame, immediately putting Prince Albert on its heels. Everett controlled much of the pace from there, eventually skating away with the franchise’s first WHL Championship in team history.

Although the season ended one step short of a title, it capped off what was an incredibly eventful and impressive draft-plus-one campaign for Vancouver Canucks prospect Braeden Cootes.

The Sherwood Park native wore four different jerseys throughout the 2025–26 season and experienced nearly every level of hockey available to a junior-aged player.

After making the Canucks out of training camp, Cootes appeared in three NHL games to begin the season, gaining firsthand experience around the NHL environment before eventually being returned to the WHL.

Back in junior, he resumed his role as captain of the Seattle Thunderbirds and immediately took over offensively, recording 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in just 17 games.

From there, he represented Team Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championship, where he played a limited but trusted role on a bronze medal-winning team and scored two goals during the tournament.

Before returning to WHL action, Cootes was dealt to the powerhouse Prince Albert Raiders, where he quickly became one of the club’s most impactful players during its push to the WHL Final, both on and off the puck. In 28 regular-season games with Prince Albert, Cootes produced 40 points (14 goals, 26 assists) while continuing to play in all situations. He followed that up with a strong playoff run, finishing third among all WHL skaters in postseason scoring with 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 20 games.

With Prince Albert now eliminated, there is a strong chance Cootes has played his final game at the junior level. If that proves to be the case, he leaves behind an impressive WHL career that saw him produce 162 points (64 goals, 98 assists) across 176 regular-season games, along with 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) in 26 playoff contests.

Attention now shifts to the professional ranks. Cootes is expected to compete for a full-time role with the Canucks in 2026–27. If he does not crack the NHL roster outright, newly adjusted CHL/NHL transfer rules could allow him to begin his professional career with the Abbotsford Canucks as a 19-year-old.