Canucks 4 Kraken 2: Braeden Cootes looking more and more like an NHLer

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The kid, Kiefer Sherwood declared, is going to be a star.

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The veteran Vancouver Canuck just couldn’t hold back in praising where Braeden Cootes‘ game already is. The rookie continues to impress and it’s not just about the fact he scored a goal on a fortunate bounce off his leg on Friday night at Rogers Arenahelping the home team fight back in a 4-2 exhibition win over the visiting Seattle Kraken.

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It was, really, about everything else.

“He’s just so smart,” head coach Adam Foote said, beginning a response to yet another question about Cootes, who still faces an uphill battle to make the club out of his very first training camp, but is nonetheless wowing every one night in, night out.

If he were to make the club as a fresh-faced, just-drafted 18-year-old, he’d be the first Canuck draftee to make the team out of training camp the same year as he was drafted since Petr Nedved in 1990. Ryan Kesler played NHL games in the season after he was drafted, but he was already 19 when the Canucks picked him 23rd overall in 2003.

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It just happens so rarely. And yet, here we are.

With Nils Hoglander’s ankle sprain likely putting him on the shelf for a few weeks, there’s a narrow opening now on the roster for Cootes. The kid is impressing. He’s so sharp with his stick in taking away space for the opposition. He’s brave and spot-on in his decisions with the puck.

“He’s here to make the team,” Evander Kane said. The veteran made the NHL as an 18-year-old in 2009 in Atlanta. “That’s the right attitude to have. At the end of the day, this is a business and you’re trying to steal a grown man’s job. That’s what my dad told me going in at 18. You’re going to steal somebody’s job. It’s a different mentality. It’s a different mindset. When you get to camp, you can’t curl up into a ball. You gotta go out and show your game.”

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And that’s what Cootes is doing.

Guys do make the show at 18, but usually they’re picked at the top of the draft, like Macklin Celebrini last year and Conor Bedard, Leo Carlsson and Adam Fantili the year before that.

But there are others, every once in a while, like Zach Benson in 2023, drafted 13th overall by the Sabres.

Cootes is in the same basket as Benson, the smart centre who is looking to will his way into the NHL.

This story isn’t going anywhere.

Here is a report card from Friday’s game:

Elias Pettersson:B

He was around the puck and found gaps. Had a nice bang-bang scoring chance off a Kane setup in tight. Was 7-3 on faceoffs. But he’ll tell you it’s early, don’t give him top marks yet.

Brock Boeser:B

Was active all night but was looking for timing early on. A few weeks from now, he’ll probably bury the lovely cross-ice pass Jake DeBrusk got him early on.

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Jake DeBrusk:B

Lots of nice passes like that one to Boeser. Set up Filip  Hronek in the second on a rush. Hronek hit the post.

Cootes:A

Forced turnovers all over. Made nice little plays with his stick. Made a mess in front on his goal. Later had a great backhand breakout pass to Jonathan Lekkerimaki in the third.

Evander Kane: A

Playing with a couple kids he was steady and reliable. Got his blood flowing as the game went on. Took a couple shifts with Pettersson and Boeser in the second and set Pettersson up. Showed some dynamic hands on the power play.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki: B

Got thumped early and looks small in the first. He needs to not be seen as a rag doll. Looked more confident in the second and set up the Cootes goal. Also hounded the puck to get a little breakaway in the second. More creativity in the third.

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Teddy Blueger: C+

showed NHL brains on the boards a couple times. Won some faceoffs. Stood up for his goalie in the third. But mostly a quiet night.

Vitali kravtsov: D

A truly tough night. Weak on back check on opening goal. Later took a sloppy tripping penalty 200 feet from his goal. Slow to cover on the second goal. Did have a couple nice shifts in the third. But will this be the last time we see him skate in a game at Rogers Arena?

Kiefer Sherwood.B

Nice tip late in first. A little feisty up against Ville Ottavainen in the second. Lots of nice little plays on zone entries and on the boards. He’s ready for the season.

Installment aat: C-

Took faceoffs. Not much else. A poor puck management decision late in second led to a late chance.

Vilmer Alriksson: C

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Got tapped to PK and blocked a shot. He’s big but his hands are clearly dragging.

Danila Klimovich: C-

Had an early flub. Not much else. Threw a few hits.

Quinn Hughes: A

Slick all night. He’s ready to win back the Norris.

HRONEK: B+

A couple early reads looked rusty but got better as first progressed. Hammered home his goal to tie the game early in the third. Overall a very nice complimentary game to Hughes.

Elias Pettersson: B-

Was fine. Showed some feistiness in the third, which is what you want.

Tom Willander: C

Needs to press more with the puck. Struggled to move the puck in first. A little better in second but looked pretty helpless to do anything on second goal. Moved better by the third.

Kirill Kudryavtsev: C+

Some nice passes but prone to blind chuck-aways early on. Game got steadier as things progressed.

P-O Joseph: C+

A left shot playing the right side. Was steady, though some odd puck decisions here and there.

Kevin Lankinen: A

He came straight from the hospital — his wife gave birth to a boy earlier this week. Was cool and composed.

Nikita Tolopilo: B

Wasn’t busy in the third but looked steady.

pjohnston@postmedia.com

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