The Vancouver Canucks' newest prospect on the block is Braeden Cootes.
The team selected the six-foot, 185-pound centre 15th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday night.
Cootes, 18, plays for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, where he serves as team captain. He is the youngest captain in the league.
The Sherwood Park, Alta., native tallied 63 points (26 goals and 37 assists) in 60 games last season, then added eight points (two goals and six assists) in six playoff games.
Cootes also served as Team Canada's captain at the 2025 U18 IIHF World Junior Championship, leading the country to a gold medal with six goals and six assists in seven games.
The pick marked the second time in franchise history that the Canucks selected 15th overall.
Cootes is also the first Canadian player the Canucks have drafted in the first round since 2014.
Vancouver finished 10th in the Western Conference last season, six points behind the playoff cutline.
The Canucks have already been active this off-season, acquiring forward Evander Kane from the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. Scoring winger Brock Boeser will become an unrestricted free agent if unsigned before the market opens Tuesday.
Rounds two through seven of the draft take place on Saturday. The Canucks have five remaining draft picks, one for each round except the fourth.
-- with files from The Canadian Press
