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Is early contract for Braeden Cootes an indication he could crack the Canucks’ opening night roster?
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Photo credit: © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Jeff Paterson
Jul 10, 2025, 15:00 UTC
51 Comments
Now that he’s signed his first National Hockey League contract, does Braeden Cootes suddenly become an option at centre ice to start next season for the Vancouver Canucks? The 18-year-old put pen to paper on a standard three-year entry level deal on Wednesday – less than two weeks after he was selected 15th overall by the Canucks in this year’s draft.
While Cootes starting the season with the big league club seems like a long shot at this point, it can’t be ruled out entirely. A year ago, Jett Luchenko was the 13th overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft and started the season with the Philadelphia Flyers. In fact, Luchenko made his NHL debut at Rogers Arena in the Flyers season opener and, as it turned out, his fourth and final game of his brief stay on the Philadelphia roster also came against the Canucks a week later. Without a point and in limited minutes, Luchenko was returned to Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League where he spent the balance of the season.
A year before that, Chilliwack native Zach Benson cracked the Buffalo Sabres line-up just months after being the 13th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Benson has already logged 146 NHL games and recently turned 20-years-old. So it’s not completely unheard of in recent years for players selected in the middle of the first round to earn a spot on an opening night roster.
In Cootes’ case, he has an opportunity to make an immediate impact at a position of need. The fact he’s a right-shot centreman will set him apart the moment he steps on the ice at his first NHL training camp in Penticton. Beyond that, the Canucks love his two-way prowess and the fact his motor is always running. The club believes that his six goals and team-high 12 points at the World Under-18 Championship in May is an indication of his ability to step up his production while playing with better players. 
“Braeden showed really well at our development camp, and we are happy to get him under contract,” said Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin in a team-issued statement. “His compete level and desire to be one of the best players on the ice at UBC was apparent from the very first day. We liked his hard work and attention to detail, and we look forward to helping him improve as a hockey player.”
It seems unlikely that Cootes, who turned 18 in February, is already the team’s answer to its second line centre question. But now that he’s under contract, it’s not far-fetched to believe the Canucks will be willing to give Cootes a look in early regular season action if he holds his own at training camp and through the preseason.
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Cootes could suit up for as many as nine NHL games before a decision has to be made on his future. At that point, the Canucks would risk burning the first year of his ELC by playing him in another game. However, if Cootes pushes for NHL work in September, he will require a roster spot which will make an already sticky situation more difficult for the organization since players he will be battling with for a job – Aatu Räty, Linus Karlsson, Arshdeep Bains  among them – require waivers. The Canucks may not be willing to take the chance of losing one of those prospects if they know Cootes will ultimately be returned to the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds in relatively short order.
Whatever the case, getting Cootes under contract this early is a good news story for the Canucks. The player can put any concerns about his first NHL deal behind him and focus on a big summer of training. He also has to see this as a nod from the organization that it believes strongly in his ability to contribute at some point down the road. 
There is certainly an opportunity for Cootes to shoot for the moon at his first training camp and see where his efforts lead him. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him make the Canucks, but it would certainly qualify as a surprise. However, given the team’s need for help down the middle, it’s clear Cootes is seen as a guy that will help. It’s just a question of hockey quickly that might happen.

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