Braeden Cootes News: Headed back to juniors

Cootes was reassigned to WHL Seattle on Tuesday, Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet 650 reports.

Cootes played in Vancouver's first three games of the season, registering zero points, zero shots and three hits. Considering the 18-year-old center racked up 26 goals and 37 assists in 63 regular-season games for Seattle last year, the organization was likely hoping for more out of him during his stint in the NHL. Once Cootes wraps up his season with the Thunderbirds, he could be brought back up for the final few games of the 2025-26 campaign without burning a year of his ELC.