New Name Takes Over the Title of Vancouver Canucks Top Prospect
Photo credit: WHL
A new face in the organization has taken over the title of the Vancouver Canucks' top prospect as we inch closer to the start of training camp and the 2025-26 season.
The Vancouver Canucks' prospect pool might not be the deepest in the National Hockey League but it still boasts quite a few talented players, among them being Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Tom Willander and 2025 first round pick Braeden Cootes.
That trio are undoubtedly Vancouver's top three prospects heading into the 2025-26 season, with reporters from various outlets giving them all a different ranking, whether it be Willander at number one and Lekkerimaki at number two, or vice versa.
This week, Corey Pronman of The Athletic continued with his annual ranking of each team's prospect pool and as everyone probably expected, the Vancouver Canucks aren't too high up on his list.
Vancouver Canucks' prospect pools receives so-so ranking from The Athletic, new name as their top prospect
The Vancouver Canucks' prospect pool was ranked 28th by The Athletic in 2024, leaving many to wonder where the club would go from there and with a very important draft two months ago, they've seen a rise in their position ahead of the upcoming season.
This time around, Pronman has ranked the Vancouver Canucks' prospect pool 22nd in the National Hockey League and has put a new face as their number one - Braeden Cootes of the Western Hockey League's Seattle Thunderbirds.
Pronman highlighted Cootes' skating, playmaking and finishing abilities as some of his top attributes and believes once he hits the NHL, his ceiling will probably be a top-six centerman.
"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. 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." Pronman said about Cootes' game.
Cootes, Vancouver's 2025 first round pick, is coming off a solid season with the Thunderbirds, registering 26 goals and 63 points in 60 games and with a strong start to the 2025-26 campaign, will certainly be pushing for a spot on Canada's roster for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
Following Cootes on Corey Pronman's list is Tom Willander (2), Jonathan Lekkerimaki (3), Aatu Raty (4), Elias Pettersson (5) and Sawyer Mynio (6).
Source: The Athletic/Corey Pronman
Vancouver Canucks rank No. 22 in NHL Pipeline Rankings for 2025
Vancouver Canucks rank No. 22 in NHL Pipeline Rankings for 2025
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