Braeden Cootes Scouting Report: High Motor Forward with NHL Tools and Winning Mentality
By TheProspectDon
If you’re looking for a player who bleeds effort, thinks the game at a high level, and thrives in the biggest moments, Braeden Cootes should be high on your radar for the 2025 NHL Draft.
The Seattle Thunderbirds captain plays the game with a relentless pace and a chip on his shoulder but he’s far from just a high energy guy. His blend of work ethic, hockey IQ, and offensive touch makes him one of the more well rounded and projectable forwards in the WHL.
When asked to describe his biggest strength, Cootes points to the intangible elements that drive winning hockey.
“I’d say my compete level, my motor, how hard I work and my hockey sense. How I can make turnovers and kinda make plays from there and find guys or use my shot to create offense.”
That motor is constant. Cootes is the type of player who disrupts with his forecheck, kills penalties with purpose, and then turns around and generates offense in transition. He’s detailed, reliable, and always seems to be involved in the play. His hockey sense shines in high pressure moments, the kind of player you trust late in a tie game.
A Brayden Point Type
Cootes draws his NHL comparison from one of the best do-it-all centers in the league: Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point.
“I would say Brayden Point. I like to watch him a lot, his motor, you know, his hockey sense. He’s not the biggest guy but he’s not the smallest guy either. Kinda similar to me. How hard he works and how skilled he is to make plays and how he sees the ice out there.”
Like Point, Cootes isn’t defined by flash but rather by function. Every shift, he adds value. Whether he’s centering a scoring line or taking defensive zone draws, the trust he earns from coaches is a result of his mature, all-situations game.
Winning Above All
At his core, Cootes is a competitor. He doesn’t just play the game, he lives for the team success that comes with it.
“I would say winning. The feeling after winning a big game with the guys in the locker room… there’s no better feeling. Scoring goals and making plays off the rush is always fun too, but I think winning as a team and that feeling you get after, just that positive energy and being able to celebrate with your teammates.” When asked what his favorite part of the game was.
That team first mentality will serve him well at the next level. NHL organizations crave players who prioritize the collective and bring contagious energy to the room.
NHL Ready Mindset
Cootes believes his playing style is built for today’s NHL and it’s hard to argue against that.
“I’d say it fits in really well. I think I have a really good hockey sense and those habits you can’t really teach. It’s my work ethic… I can play in all situations, lower in the lineup or higher in the lineup, penalty kill, power play. I think it translates well.”
His versatility, high motor, and ability to read the game make him a safe and enticing pick. He doesn’t need a perfect fit, he creates his own value by adapting and excelling wherever he’s slotted.
The Vision Ahead
Cootes isn’t just dreaming big, he’s built a blueprint.
“Get drafted, obviously this June. Sign an NHL contract. Win a championship in Seattle, the Memorial Cup. Then the NHL right after that and keep playing in the NHL and being successful.”
It’s clear his ambitions are matched by a process driven mindset. He knows the work never stops.
“Obviously get drafted here in June. Maybe be an All Star in the WHL or NHL. Keep getting better every day… I’m more of a day to day kinda guy. Take it month to month. Process focus kinda guy. But I mean I always wanted to win a Stanley Cup one day, I think everybody does.”
Braeden Cootes may not always be the loudest name on the scoresheet, but he’s the heartbeat of a winning team. With his blend of motor, smarts, and leadership, he’s not just an intriguing prospect, he’s a future difference-maker.