Canucks top prospect Braeden Cootes traded in blockbuster 5 man deal

This just in, Vancouver Canucks top prospect and Team Canada World Juniors member Braeden Cootes has been traded by the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds to the Prince Albert Raiders in a blockbuster deal.

Cootes and a 2nd, 4th and 6th round picks were shipped to Prince Albert in exchange for Ethan Bibeau, Knox Burton, Tripp Fischer, Diego Guitierrez, two 1st round picks, a 2nd round pick and a 3rd round pick.

Full details:

Cootes put up 2 goals in 7 games with Canada at the World Junior Championships the past two weeks and reported back to his WHL team just days ago. He had managed 10 goals and 23 points in 17 points with the Thunderbirds this season after a brief three game audition with the Canucks to begin the season.

“It’s difficult to trade a player like Braeden,” said Thunderbird General Manager Bil LaForge said in a prepared statement today. “It’s something we thought long and hard about it, but with the changing landscape, and him more than likely being in the AHL or NHL next year, it made sense for us right now to acquire players with more term while making us better this season.” 

The 18 year old Cootes was drafted in the 1st round, 15th overall, by the Canucks this past offseason and became the third youngest player in team history to make his NHL debut.