Canucks Reassign Braeden Cootes to WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds

The Vancouver Canucks have reassigned 18-year-old forward Braeden Cootes to the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL after a brief but encouraging NHL stint to start the season.

Cootes, one of Vancouver’s top prospects, made the opening-night roster and appeared in three games, earning praise for his maturity and hockey IQ despite limited ice time. “I’m very proud of what he’s done,” head coach Adam Foote told Sportsnet 650. “It’s not his play at all. He’s a smart hockey player. We just think it’s the right thing for his development.”

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The move, which coincides with Max Sasson joining the Canucks for their upcoming five-game road trip, gives Cootes a chance to return to a starring role in junior and continue building his game.

Cootes’ journey has already become a feel-good story this season — from being coached by Jake DeBrusk in youth hockey to briefly becoming his NHL teammate. The Alberta-born forward will take valuable experience from his first NHL games back to Seattle, where the Canucks hope he continues to develop into a key piece of their future.

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