Braeden Cootes and Gabriel Chiarot are four wins away from clinching a spot in the 2026 Memorial Cup.
Two Vancouver Canucks prospects have advanced to their league finals in the CHL. Braeden Cootes will compete in the WHL Final, while Gabriel Chiarot has qualified for the OHL Final. If Cootes and Chiarot can pick up victories, they will be on their way to the 2026 Memorial Cup.
Braeden Cootes- Prince Albert Raiders
Cootes and the Prince Albert Raiders booked their spot in the WHL Final after a 4-2 series victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Canucks 2025 first-round pick has been a leader for the Raiders with 18 points in 15 games. Cootes has also had a strong post-season in the faceoff dot, as he has won 55.6% of his 205 draws.
Gabriel Chiarot- Kitchener Rangers
Over in the OHL, Chiarot and the Kitchener Rangers advanced to the Final after defeating the Windsor Spitfires in five games. Chiarot has had a productive playoffs for the Rangers, with seven points in 14 games. Initially drafted 175th by Vancouver in 2025, Chiarot and Kitchener have only lost two games so far in the post-season.
Braeden Cootes of the Prince Albert Raiders (Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders/WHL)Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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