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Canucks: Cootes and Malhotra flip-flop spots atop our top-10 prospect power rankings

New No. 1 Cootes has been key to Abbotsford carrying a three-game win streak into a weekend set against Calgary

Published Oct 22, 2026  •  Last updated 1 day ago  •  4 minute read

Braeden Cootes is off to a hot start with the Abbotsford Canucks. They've won three straight going into a weekend set against Calgary. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG

Braeden Cootes’ start to the season has led to a swap at the top of our weekly Vancouver Canucks’ top-10 prospects power rankings.

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Cootes, who was a first-round pick (No. 15 overall) by the Vancouver in the 2025 NHL draft, jumps up one spot to No. 1 this week based on his strong showing in the Abbotsford Canucks’ weekend sweep of the visiting Coachella Valley Firebirds.

He trades places with Caleb Malhotra, the first-round choice (No. 3 overall) from this past summer who’s in his freshman campaign with the Boston University Terriers.

This season, we’re tracking the progress of players in the Vancouver system every week. We’re focusing on players born in 2004 or later, and anyone currently with the big team is exempt from our poll.

We’re expecting Cootes and Malhotra to teeter totter back and forth in that pole position. 

Cootes, 19, had three or four glorious scoring chances in Abbotsford’s 5-4 shootout win over Coachella Valley Sunday afternoon at Rogers Forum. He landed on the scoresheet with an assist. Cootes and linemates Trey Fix-Wolansky, 27, and Kole Lind, 28, controlled play throughout, and Fix-Wolansky finished with two goals in regulation and then bagged the clincher in the shootout.

Cootes took Abbotsford’s first shot in the shootout and hit the post.

He also had a goal Saturday in Abbotsford’s 7-3 romp over visiting Coachella Valley. 

Boston University, meanwhile, split a twin bill against the host Vermont Catamounts, falling 2-1 Friday and then winning 2-1 in overtime Saturday. Malhotra, 18, was held off the scoresheet in the two games. He had five shots combined.

Cootes has three goals and six points through six games with Abbotsford, putting him second in team scoring behind the seven points, including four goals, put forth by Ty Mueller, 23.

Cootes is one of just five players in their 19-year-old seasons playing full time in the AHL this season under rules brought in this off-season regarding first-round draft picks. In the past, Cootes would have had to go back to junior if he didn’t stick with the big team.

That list of 2007-born forwards in the AHL under the new regulations includes 2025 No. 5 overall pick Brady Martin (5-3-0-3 with Nashville’s Milwaukee farm team) and No. 4 overall Caleb Desnoyers (6-2-1-3 with Utah’s Tucson affiliate). That offers up an idea of how well Cootes is going out of the gate.

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“I think the confidence is the thing that stands out the most,” Abbotsford coach Ryan Papaioannou told reporters after the Sunday game about Cootes. “He’s always expected to be an offensive player and that’s going to have its ebbs and flows this year. Now, for him, it’s just to be confident to handle puck and understand where to make plays and where to put pucks deep.

“I think his linemates have been a great help to him.”

That leads us to our rankings. Stats are as of Tuesday night and last week’s ranking is in parentheses.

1. Braeden Cootes, C, Abbotsford Canucks (2)

Abbotsford (3-2-0-1) is home to Calgary on Saturday (5 p.m.) and Sunday (3 p.m.). Tickets are available through the team website. 

2. Caleb Malhotra, C, Boston University Terriers (1)

Malhotra (4-1-0-1) and BU (3-1-0) visit UConn Thursday and then again Saturday. BU slipped four spots to No. 15 in this week’s NCAA national rankings. 

3. Adam Novotny, W, Peterborough Petes (3)

Novotny (10-7-9-16) had three goals and two assists in a 6-0 win over Barrie Saturday. The first-round pick (No. 24 overall) from this summer was tied for the OHL lead in shots (51) heading into action Tuesday. Peterborough (5-7-0-0) has a home-and-home Thursday and Friday versus Oshawa.

4. Brooks Rogowski, C, Oshawa Generals (4)

Novotny and Rogowski, who was a second rounder this summer, were linemates when the Canucks prospects faced their Seattle Kraken counterparts in Abbotsford in September. It’ll be interesting to see how often they’re on the ice against one another this week. Oshawa (4-6-2-0) has lost three straight one-goal decisions, including a 2-1 setback Sunday to Kitchener. Rogowski (10-0-7-7) had three shots and 2.6 shots per game so far.

5. Anthony Romani, W, Michigan State University Spartans (5)

Romani (3-4-3-7) had one goal and two assists in a 5-1 win over RIT Saturday on the road. Romani was a 2024 sixth rounder. Michigan State (3-0-0) moved up one spot to No. 2 in the NCAA hockey rankings this week and they have a weekend twin bill at New Hampshire starting Friday. 

6. Aleksei Medvedev, G, London Knights (7)

A 2025 second rounder, Medvedev (3-1-0-1, 2.64, .919) made 25 saves in a 4-1 in over Sudbury Friday. London (7-1-0-1) hosts Sarnia Friday and is home to Owen Sound Saturday. 

7. Niklas Aaram-Olsen, W, Boston University (6)

The second rounder from this summer spent time on a line with Malhotra this against Vermont. Aaram-Olsen (4-0-0-0) had one shot in the two games. He had an assist in a game against Brown, but it was an exhibition contest so it doesn’t count against his season stats. 

8. Sawyer Mynio, D, Abbotsford (NR)

The 2023 third rounder had one assist Saturday and two helpers Sunday. Mynio (5-0-3-3) had three shots over the weekend. 

9. Riley Patterson, C, Abbotsford (10)

Patterson had goals in both games against Coachella Valley. He had three shots in the two games. Patterson (6-2-3-5) was a 2024 fourth rounder.

10. Kirill Kudryavtsev, D, Abbotsford (8)

Kudryavtsev (3-0-3-3) has missed the past three Abbotsford games. A Canucks spokesperson says that Kudryavtsev is “banged up.” There’s no word on when the 2022 seven rounder may get back in the lineup.

@SteveEwen

SEwen@postmedia.com

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