Braeden Cootes spent a year living in Vancouver in the past.
And the Canucks’ opening-round pick at the 2025 NHL draft is hoping it’s eventually home for a long time.
The first Canadian club to make a selection Friday night chose the centre from the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds at No. 15.
“Honestly, I kind of blacked out for a second,” Cootes said. “It was crazy. It was an unbelievable moment I’ll always remember.”
The 18-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alta., put up 26 goals and 37 assists for 63 points across 60 games as Seattle’s captain in 2024-25.
Cootes lived in Vancouver for a year earlier in his teens and is familiar with the city.
“Went to quite a few Canucks games,” said the five-foot-11, 183-pound forward. “This is unbelievable.”
Vancouver finished 10th in the Western Conference last season, six points below the playoff cutline.
“I love it out west,” Cootes said. “Couldn’t be happier.”
The Canucks have already been active this off-season, acquiring Evander Kane from the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, while fellow winger Brock Boeser is set to become an unrestricted free agent Tuesday.
The Montreal Canadiens owned the 16th and 17th picks, but dealt both to the New York Islanders along with forward Emil Heineman for defenceman Noah Dobson in a blockbuster swap.
The Calgary Flames were the next Canadian club on the draft board, selecting centre Cole Reschny with the 18th overall pick.
The Senators chose defenceman Logan Hensler with No. 23 pick after trading down from No. 21 in a deal with the Nashville Predators that also secured the 67th overall pick for Ottawa.
The Winnipeg Jets took Swedish defenceman Sascha Boumedienne at No. 28 before the Flames rounded out the first day of the draft by nabbing centre Cullen Potter at No. 32.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers previously traded their first-round picks. Rounds two through seven go Saturday.
The 18-year-old Reschny registered 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists) in 62 games with the WHL’s Victoria Royals in 2024-25.
“Special just getting this opportunity to be drafted by such a great organization,” said the product of Macklin, Sask. “But it’s also a dream come true. It’s something I’ve worked towards my whole life and my young hockey career.
“I can’t wait to get started with the Flames.”
Reschny added that growing up in a community of 1,200 people helped mould him on and off the ice.
“It’s a blue-collar town,” he said of Macklin, which is close to the border with Alberta. “We’re lucky. We’ve got a nice rink there. We’ve got nice ball diamonds and a nice nine-hole golf course.”
Macklin said he helped his dad and grandparents on the farm for many years.
“It just shaped me into the hard-working and competitive guy I am today.”
Reschny didn’t have a great start to his draft-eligible season, but came on strong in the second half of the schedule and the playoffs.
“I’m very confident,” he said. “I just tried to stay level-headed all throughout the year. I knew it was a big year for me. Getting this opportunity to go through this process was special.
“It was just sticking to it and having the right mindset of getting better day in and day out. That was the mindset I had, and it worked out for me.”
The six-foot-two, 192-pound Hensler had two goals and 10 assists in 32 games at the University of Wisconsin in 2024-25.
The product of Woodbury, Minn., was part of the United States team that won gold at the 2025 world junior hockey championship in Ottawa back in January.
“It’s been a dream of mine ever since I was a kid to play in the NHL,” Hensler said. “All good emotions … I’m super excited.”
