The WHL has announced the winner of the 2025-26 Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy. The annual award is handed out to the league's most sportsmanlike player. This year's winner is Braeden Cootes, who is currently playing for the Prince Albert Raiders. Cootes finished the season with an impressive 63 points in 45 games. He also spent very little time in the box, as he accumulated just eight penalty minutes. Cootes began his WHL season with the Seattle Thunderbirds before being traded to Prince Albert at the trade deadline. Drafted 15th overall in 2025 by the Vancouver Canucks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks], Cootes started the year in the NHL, where he played three games. This year, the 19-year-old was also part of Team Canada's 2026 World Juniors team. As for the playoffs, Cootes has 11 points in nine games and has helped the Raiders reach the Eastern Conference Final. Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/a08c32be-bcaa-4dfd-be5a-43c11ac6267f.jpeg] Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News [https://thehockeynews.com/whl]. Kelowna Rockets Forward Shane Smith Named WHL Humanitarian of the Year For 2025-26 [https://thehockeynews.com/whl/latest-news/kelowna-rockets-forward-shane-smith-named-whl-humanitarian-of-the-year-for-2025-26] One Player to Watch From Each Team in the WHL Conference Finals [https://thehockeynews.com/whl/latest-news/one-player-to-watch-from-each-team-in-the-whl-conference-finals] 7 WHLers Named To Canada's 2026 U18 World Championship Roster [https://thehockeynews.com/whl/latest-news/7-whlers-named-to-canadas-2026-u18-world-championship-roster] 5 WHL Alumni to Watch in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs [https://thehockeynews.com/whl/players/5-whl-alumni-to-watch-in-the-2026-stanley-cup-playoffs] 2026 WHL Playoffs Daily Recap: April 19 [https://thehockeynews.com/whl/game-day/2026-whl-playoffs-daily-recap-april-19] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription?_gl=1*11e3hua*_ga*MTk0NDM0Mzk0OS4xNzQ2MjQ0ODA2*_ga_ZET34ZFCGX*czE3NjYzMzYxOTQkbzkwOSRnMSR0MTc2NjMzNzA3NyRqNTYkbDAkaDA.]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum. The Hockey News [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/1ad7a295-2dd0-4784-9fc4-dcccac9d4909.jpeg] The Hockey News
