The Vancouver Canucks need a few more wins at the draft table.
Thankfully, Braeden Cootes appears to be a clear victory for the franchise.
The 18-year-old was a surprising addition to the Canucks’ opening night roster back in October, following a stellar training camp and preseason showing.
Although he wasn’t ready to defy the odds and become a full-time NHLer, as mid-first-round pick Benjamin Kindel has done with the Pittsburgh Penguins, his addition to a Canucks team that just traded a franchise player away has been a breath of fresh air.
Not only that, but his spot on Canada’s 2026 World Junior squad has further given the Canucks reason to feel good about their work at the most recent NHL Draft.
Canada’s World Junior roster is nearly set after the latest cuts, and Cootes is assuredly going to be a key member of the squad.
What should make the Canucks feel good, however, is that among the final three cuts, two were drafted ahead of Cootes.
As Canada whittled down its roster, forward Jake O’Brien and defencemen Jackson Smith were released from the team.
O’Brien was just drafted eighth overall by the Seattle Kraken back in June. Smith went one pick ahead of Cootes to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Not only that, but a couple of other Canadian kids drafted ahead of Cootes also did not make the World Junior squad.
Roger McQueen, drafted 10th overall by the Anaheim Ducks, was left off the World Junior team. He’s off to a good start in the NCAA, but has missed a ton of time due to injuries over the last 12 months.
Jack Nesbitt, drafted 12th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers back in June, also wasn’t in the mix to land a spot.
Ironically, Nesbitt was selected with the pick that the Canucks had via the J.T. Miller trade, only to flip it to the Pittsburgh Penguins within a matter of hours.
Pittsburgh then traded down in the first round, while the Flyers traded up to nab Nesbitt.
Perhaps they should have selected Cootes instead, but the Canucks are sure happy that’s not the case.