Comparing the games of Reschny and Cootes ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft
Teams hunting for middle men in the teens of the 2025 NHL Draft have two intriguing options.
And they’re both out of the Western Hockey League.
Cole Reschny of Victoria and Braeden Cootes of Seattle have been slotted close to each other all season long in rankings, and slotted within five spots of each other in FCHockey’s Final ranking for the 2025 draft.
Reschny finished at No. 16. Cootes came in at No. 21.
“I think they’re neck and neck as second-half first round picks,” FCHockey scout Kareem Elshafey said. “It really depends on preference. Cootes is a right shot who translates better to a Stanley Cup environment and is someone who I can see elevating his game in those situations. He’ll be a leader with his intangibles and, if a team thinks there’s more there to develop skill-wise, then they might prefer him.
“Reschny is in that same range but is the smaller player who possesses more raw skill than Cootes and, because of that, potentially a higher ceiling as a second-line center.”
Let’s examine the similarities and differences between the two Western leaguers.
RESCHNY’S STANDOUT TRAITS
Reschny, who had 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists) in 62 games with Victoria in the regular season and added 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 11 playoff tilts, stands out for his high-end playmaking and his consistent drive to attack dangerous areas of the ice. He plays with his head up, constantly scanning for passing options, especially effective during zone entries and within the cycle. His puck movement is intelligent and balanced, showing strong awareness of when to pass or hold onto possession.
Offensively, he complements his passing ability with a directness toward the net — regularly driving pucks from below the goal line or boards to the crease and positioning himself well for rebounds and deflections. This inside-out versatility gives his game a well-rounded offensive edge.
“Reschny’s vision and awareness standout as the tools he uses to most impact the game,” FCHockey chief Western scout Donesh Mazloum said. “There aren’t many better passers available in the draft as he consistently finds the tiniest seams in coverage and shows perfect touch on area passes. His offensive zone awareness also extends beyond simply finding passing options as he is adept at finding the vulnerability in the defensive structure, enabling him to generate high-danger chances consistently by exploiting the weakness.”
RESCHNY’S AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT
Reschny has some necessary areas of improvement, however.
Though he came on strong in the second half of the season, the 18-year-old still needs to work on his consistency and engagement moving forward. His slow start highlighted Reschny’s need to find a way to help impact a game when he doesn’t hit the scoresheet.
“While an explosive second half calmed some of those concerns, I’d say they remain the same,” Elshafey said. “At the start of the year, I thought he blended into the game more than I’d like and wasn’t driving play enough but that concern has dissipated substantially. Another part that can improve is his skating. I actually think his skating is better than the consensus, but I believe in his ability to be a long-term center and, because of that, incremental improvements in his skating ability would go a long way.”
COOTES’ STANDOUT TRAITS
Cootes, who had 63 points (26 goals, 37 assists) in 62 games, is a coach’s dream who leans on his effort, compete, and character to make an impact seemingly every shift. As such, he was a captain at 17 with Seattle and was also Canada’s captain at the 2025 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
His skating and defensive acumen also stand out in the class, an extension of his compete. His feet are always moving and he’s always making an effort to squash plays to turn the puck up ice. He’s got the foot speed to get up and down the ice efficiently, allowing him to make more of a 200-foot impact.
“One thing you’ll never question about Cootes is how hard he plays and that’s the thing I always start with,” Elshafey said. “His engine is always going which leads to him winning battles non-stop, being impactful all over the ice, and being able to remain effective when the game tightens up. Cootes also has an edge to his game that you love to see. Those intangibles create a great baseline for him once he enters the NHL.”
COOTES AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT
Cootes is more well-rounded, but there are some aspects of his game that could be amplified.
His offensive game presents some limitations, particularly in goal scoring and overall skill impact in comparison to some of the higher-end producers in the 2025 draft class. While he’s a competent passer, Cootes lacks standout qualities as a shooter or playmaker, which raises concerns about his upside as a top-six NHL center. His offensive toolkit is viewed as average, casting doubt on his ability to drive play or produce at a high level. However, his reliable two-way game, energy, and attention to detail project him as a strong candidate for a third-line center role who can contribute modestly on offense.
“I think you are getting a very high-floor player in Cootes as there aren’t any glaring weaknesses in his game,” Mazloum said.”The only question mark in his projection is exactly how much offense he will bring at the NHL level. I think the potential is there for his offense to translate fairly seamlessly as his approach in the o-zone end lends itself to the way the pro game is played, however his offensive production this year certainly pales in comparison to some others in this class.”
THE DECIDING FACTOR
It’s far from a consensus in considering Cootes and Reschny when stepping to the podium.
One is safer and his game is more translatable. The other has higher upside, but more questions about maximizing that potential.
“Cootes and Reschny are two distinctly different styles of players so depending on the team need I could see an argument for either player,” Mazloum said. “If I’m at the draft table, however, I’m stumping for Cootes. Cootes is the much better player off puck. He forechecks with purpose, uses his speed to create space, lives in high-danger areas, and outworks the opponent all game long.
“I am a believer in his offense translating as his compete and smarts combine to create a repeatable approach in the offensive zone from shift to shift, one that I believe he will continue to be able to replicate at the NHL level.”
Cootes, 6-foot and 183 pounds, is No. 20 amongst North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s Final ranking for the 2025 draft. Reschny, 5-foot-10 and 187 pounds, lands on that same list at No. 25.
Not much separating the two, it seems.
“Personally, the determining factor is the offensive ceiling and I’d give that to Reschny,” Elshafey said. “In that mid-late first round area, I would give the edge to the guy that can be a top-six center who can produce. Part of that is my belief in Reschny as a center. Some teams may view him as a winger due to his size, but I really like how strong he is in his lower half and that he is responsible the full 200 feet of ice.
“I can easily see a team going with Cootes because of the hard to play against nature of his game but I give the edge to Reschny due to the higher level of skill I think he has.”
ELSHAFEY BREAKDOWN
Better Skater: Cootes
Better Shooter: Reschny
Better Puckhandler: Reschny
Better Playmaker: Reschny
Offensive IQ: Reschny
Defensive IQ: Even
Compete: Cootes
MAZLOUM BREAKDOWN
Better Skater: Cootes
Better Shooter: Cootes
Better Puckhandler: Reschny
Better Playmaker: Reschny
Offensive IQ: Reschny
Defensive IQ: Cootes
Compete: Cootes
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