Vancouver Canucks 1st-Round Pick Braeden Cootes Makes Team History Just Days After Being Drafted
Photo credit: WHL
Vancouver Canucks top prospect Braeden Cootes reportedly made team history this week at the 2025 edition of their Development Camp, which surprised everyone.
One week ago today, the Vancouver Canucks used their first round pick, 15th overall, to to select Braeden Cootes, a centerman, and captain, from the Western Hockey League's Seattle Thunderbirds, who led Canada to gold at the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship.
It didn't take Cootes long to win the hearts of Vancouver Canucks fans after sharing that he's officially officially cutting ties with his fandom for the Edmonton Oilers, the team he cheered for while growing up in nearby Sherwood Park.
"Today is my last day being an Edmonton Oilers fan," Braeden Cootes said according to Thomas Drance of The Athletic."
Vancouver Canucks top prospect surprises everyone at Development Camp, breaks team record
Every year at their Development Camp, the Vancouver Canucks hold the Grouse Grind, which is a run up the Grouse Mountain just north of the city.
Vancouver Canucks development coaches and franchise legends Henrik & Daniel Sedin participated in the Grouse Grind once again this year, however to the surprise of everyone, prospect Braeden Cootes beat one of them to the top.
Even though all of the team's prospects had a ten minute head start to the Grouse Grind earlier this week, David Quadrelli of Canucks Army revealed that Braeden Cootes beat Daniel Sedin to top, becoming the first prospect to ever do that.
"Braeden Cootes appears to be the first Canucks prospect ever to beat a Sedin on the Grouse Grind. Now, the Canucks did mention in the post that there was a ten-minute head start." Quadrelli said.
He later added, "It looks like it was a photo finish, but I think Cootes had it in the end and I believe it was Daniel [Sedin] that he beat. I think Daniel's the one with the better time on the Grind right?"
He later added, "It looks like it was a photo finish, but I think Cootes had it in the end and I believe it was Daniel [Sedin] that he beat. I think Daniel's the one with the better time on the Grind right?"
Granted, he had a ten-minute head start, but it's still very impressive to see Braeden Cootes beat one of the Sedin twins in the Grouse Grind and it shows how competitive he is and that he's worked hard on his conditioning to be able to make it all the way to top first.
With the team's Development Camp now over, Vancouver Canucks will see a good chunk of these prospects, including Braeden Cootes, back on the ice at Rookie Camp in early September, followed by their main training camp a couple of weeks later.
It's going to be interesting to see how much of a look Cootes gets in training camp, how many games he'll get into and if there's any chance he could crack the opening night roster, which seems unlikely, but given his competitiveness, he's going to push hard, there's no doubt about that.
Previously on CanucksDaily
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 4 | 1836 ANSWERS Vancouver Canucks 1st-Round Pick Braeden Cootes Makes Team History Just Days After Being Drafted Do you think Braeden Cootes will play any games in the NHL this season? | ||
| Yes, probably a few before being sent back to WHL | 771 | 42 % |
| No, more likely at the start of the 2026-27 season | 1065 | 58 % |
| List of polls | ||
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