Braeden Cootes appears set to begin his first AHL season on a line with a familiar mix of experience and new blood.
At Abbotsford Canucks practice this week, Vancouver’s 2025 first-round pick has been skating with veteran Ben Berard and college free agent addition Bennett Schimek. Abbotsford is expected to unveil its season-opening roster Friday morning, and the club opens the regular season in Calgary on Saturday.
The schedule doesn’t leave much room to settle in slowly. Abbotsford also visits the Colorado Eagles on Oct. 9-10 before returning home for its opener on Oct. 17 against the Coachella Valley Firebirds at Rogers Forum.
Cootes, 19, was taken by Vancouver with the No. 15 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and was reassigned to Abbotsford last week. Under the new rules, he can be a full-time AHL regular this season. Before this year, players under 20 who didn’t make their NHL team had to go back to their junior clubs.
The right-shot centre, originally from Sherwood Park, Alta., appeared in three games with Vancouver last season before being sent back to the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds.
Berard, 27, is entering his fifth season in the minors. The Duncan native signed a one-year extension with Abbotsford last April after a season in which he led the team with 20 goals and finished second in points with 37.
Schimek, 23, signed a one-year deal for 2026-27 with Abbotsford last March after finishing his senior season at Arizona State. He then spent the rest of the year with Abbotsford on a professional tryout and posted five goals and 11 points in 13 games.
Vancouver general manager Ryan Johnson has made patience a priority since taking over this summer, and he said the organization wants Cootes focused on development rather than shuttling between leagues.
“My conversation with Braeden was very complimentary of everything - how he’s approached it mentally, physically, how he’s handled everything,” Johnson told reporters. “Braeden is going to go to Abbotsford and - you guys are going to hate me for this - but there’s no timeline.
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