4 NHL Players Comparable to Canucks’ Braeden Cootes

Vancouver Canucks fans are likely to see a significant amount of Braeden Cootes in the upcoming season. After a brief appearance with the team at the start of last season, the 2025 15th-overall pick was sent back to the Western Hockey League (WHL), where he divided his time between the Seattle Thunderbirds and the Prince Albert Raiders. Given his anticipated prominent role with the team in the near future and his own assertion of readiness, many supporters are curious about what Cootes brings to the table.

Cootes is recognized more for his defensive soundness than his offensive output. However, he has earned praise for his high-energy play, actively influencing the game across the ice through his hustle and keen ability to read plays. While such players may not be franchise cornerstones, they are often vital components of Stanley Cup-winning teams. Here are four players who have demonstrated the qualities that Cootes could bring to the Canucks.

Phillip Danault

Montreal's Phillip Danault stands out as perhaps the most fitting comparison for Cootes. Both players are distinguished by their relentless work ethic and high hockey IQ, with strong foundational skills that help offset a lack of explosive straight-line speed. Danault has largely built his career as a dependable middle-six center who, at his peak, could also effectively play on a top line if required.

Examining how Danault was perceived as a prospect reveals many parallels with Cootes. His QMJHL coach described him as a "tremendous worker," adding that he "has the admiration of every single one of his teammates just on how hard he works." This echoes the scouting reports on Cootes, with The Hockey Writers' draft season report by Dayton Reimer stating, "Cootes’ work ethic is infectious. He has an unrelenting motor and no matter the score, he never stops pursuing the puck and pushing the play."

While Danault in 2026 may not be a prolific scorer, he was far from offensively limited at his best. His career-highs include 25 goals and 54 points, achieved during his early seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. One could argue that Cootes possesses a higher offensive ceiling than Danault, with his skillset potentially allowing him to outscore the Canadiens center. Nevertheless, securing a player of Danault's caliber with the 15th overall pick in 2025 would undoubtedly be met with considerable satisfaction by the Canucks organization.

Anthony Cirelli

Another excellent defensive center that Cootes could potentially emulate is Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Cirelli was an unsung hero for the Lightning during their back-to-back Stanley Cup victories earlier this decade. He elevated his game following these triumphs, becoming a consistent 20-goal scorer and a two-time finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy. Though not flashy, Cirelli is a coach's dream, excelling in performing the often-overlooked details that contribute to success on a nightly basis.

Cirelli is a winning player who gained recognition and a spot on Team Canada not due to an overwhelming offensive arsenal, but rather his all-around game. Cootes possesses both the physical attributes and the intangible qualities to develop into a player like Cirelli; it will be up to the Canucks to provide him with the opportunities to showcase this potential.

Zach Hyman

In THW's draft season profile of Cootes, he was compared to Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman. Although Hyman has exclusively played wing throughout his career, while Cootes was drafted as a center, they share numerous similarities in their contributions to a team.

Hyman, like Cootes, is known for his exceptional work ethic. He possesses a solid skill set but lacks the spectacular highlight-reel plays or signature moves that lead to high scoring. Despite this, he achieved a 50-goal season in 2023-24 and followed it with 16 goals in that postseason. These are elite numbers, ones that even the Oilers, who showed enough faith to sign him to a seven-year deal, likely never anticipated. He accomplished this while also being a defensively responsible player, earning some down-ballot Selke Trophy votes over the years.

Some might dismiss the Hyman comparison because he plays alongside Connor McDavid. Even if prospects like Caleb Malhotra develop into legitimate first-line players, they are unlikely to elevate a teammate to 50-goal territory. However, if Cootes can position himself near the net effectively like Hyman and demonstrate his ability to hustle effectively, he could potentially become one of the team's top goal scorers.

Brayden Schenn

Brayden Schenn of the New York Islanders was a player NHL Central Scouting senior western scout John Williams compared Cootes to shortly before his draft in an interview with NHL.com.

"He can play in the middle, he can play on the wing," Williams was quoted as saying. "I saw him play both this year. Highly competitive. … High IQ, competitive two-way guy who can play anywhere up and down your lineup."

Schenn has been a consistent producer with every team he's played for (with the exception of the Los Angeles Kings, where he only appeared in nine games). He has demonstrated significant versatility throughout his career, shifting between center and wing and excelling in both roles for stretches. At times, his teams have called upon him to be a star, as evidenced by his 70-point season in his first year with the St. Louis Blues. His value was arguably greatest when he served as a more supportive player, such as during the Blues' Stanley Cup-winning run in 2018-19.

Schenn may not be the most flashy comparable player, but he has been a reliable contributor in the NHL for an extended period, which aligns with expectations for a first-round draft pick.

Becoming Braeden Cootes

As Cootes begins to make his mark in the NHL, he will eventually be viewed not just as an echo of past successful players, but as his own entity. He will carve out his unique role and may soon become a benchmark for young, developing two-way centers. For now, however, these player comparisons offer realistic potential outcomes for Cootes if he continues his development trajectory.

It's also worth noting that comparable player articles have previously been published for the Canucks' 2026 first-round draft picks, Caleb Malhotra and Adam Novotny.