Canucks' Cootes, Hurricanes' Ryabkin Headline 19-Year-Olds Excelling In The AHL

Last year, Cootes made the Canucks out of training camp and found his way into a few games before being sent back to the WHL, where he out up 63 points in 45 games. This year, he was right on the cusp of making the Canucks again but with the AHL being a new option, the team made the decision to send him to Abbotsford where he can develop his game away from the NHL spotlight.

Despite missing a few games with an injury, Cootes is playing quite well. He's bringing the well-rounded, hard-nosed game that he was drafted for and he's been one of the Abby Canucks' most effective offensive players.

Cootes is almost certainly going to find himself in a few NHL games at some point this year, but first, he's likely to be part of the leadership group on the Canadian world junior team in December.

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