The Vancouver Canucks’ Prospect Camp runs from June 30 to July 3 this year, with newly-drafted players and local invitees all in attendance. Day 1, the introductory day, was filled with some on-ice drills and testing. Let’s see what the players thought of their first day of camp.
Vancouver’s first-round pick of the 2025 NHL Draft, Braeden Cootes, was quick to point out how surreal the entire week has been so far. He was drafted 15th overall on Friday and almost immediately reported to prospect camp.
“Crazy couple of days getting picked obviously, then coming straight here,” he said after the first practice on Monday. “When you go into an NHL room, you’re usually a fan looking around. Now you’re drafted by that team, it’s a lot different feeling, for sure, but it was super cool. The facilities are unreal and I’m just so excited.”
One part of development camp that has already stood out to Cootes is the arsenal of NHL talent that is coaching them throughout the week, as Henrik and Daniel Sedin were both spotted on the ice with the players during the first day of practices.
“It’s pretty crazy with the Sedins. And, you know, like, just trying to learn as much as I can from them. They’re obviously two unbelievable players.”
While this is Cootes’ first prospect camp with the Canucks, Anthony Romani is no stranger to the process, having also taken part in last year’s. The forward, who moved from the North Bay Battalion of the OHL to the Barrie Colts, will be joining Michigan State University in the NCAA for the 2025–26 season.
“It’ll be easier, for sure, just knowing them, being more comfortable talking to them,” he said of what this year’s camp could look like for him given his previous season of working with the coaches. “They’re all a bunch of ex-NHLers, so I think they have a lot to teach me. I’m super excited to keep learning from them.”
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A player who will have a different outlook on prospect camp is Alexei Medvedev, Vancouver’s second-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. As a goaltender, Medvedev will be working closely with goaltending coach Marko Torenius.
“Just getting to know each other,” he said of what he and Torenius, as well as director of goaltending Ian Clark, have discussed so far. “Just getting to know about how they work with their goalies and stuff like that, just the ideas they believe in and just getting to know that. And it’s been really great. So far, they’ve been really supportive. They’ve been helping me get used to new things. It’s been a blast.”
Since it’s still early on in prospect camp, the majority of what Torenius has done with the goaltenders has been watching them, says Medvedev. “They’re not trying to make me think too much there, and I really appreciate that. Just kind of slowly getting used to things.”
Day 2 of Prospect Camp is Tuesday, July 1
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