When Paul Cotter signed with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1st, he knew that opportunity and personal growth were coming for him as he heads into his fifth season as a full-time NHLer.
“I am super excited. I know that’s pretty stereotypical to say, but as soon as I got here, I was blown away by the facilities, how passionate everybody is in this organization, from the chef to the GM calling and having genuine talks, it really feels like everyone takes their job and their role in this organization to a different level,” said Cotter.
Cotter comes to Vancouver after playing the past two seasons with the New Jersey Devils and the previous three with the Vegas Golden Knights organization. His career-best season for goals came in 2024-25, when he put up 16 goals as a Devil, and his career-high in points came in 2023-24 with Vegas, when he tallied 25 points (7g-18a) in 76 games.
Now, as he joins a young Canucks team, Cotter wants to make an impact in the lineup wherever he can and has taken note of some of the players who have been able to make the most of their opportunity in the Canucks' organization.
“I do believe that I haven’t established myself where I’d want to be in this league yet, and I think that this is a great spot to be able to do that,” said Cotter.
He added that he saw what a player like Kiefer Sherwood did with the opportunity he had in Vancouver and believes he plays with a similar style.
“Kiefer had a hell of a year while he was here, and I’m looking to be doing the same. I don’t know if that hit record can be broken, which is insane,” he said with a laugh. “But yeah, the opportunity is big. I think this is a place where I’m able to expand my game and show people [what I can do].”
Cotter said he spoke with Devils Head Coach Sheldon Keefe at the end of last season, and Keefe told him he has every tool possible and that it is about understanding when to use skill, when to use size, and when to use tenacity. He is looking to put that together this season and find the next step in his development ladder.
The part that Cotter has certainly figured out is how to bring a high level of effort nightly, and that comes from being a small player throughout his youth.
“Growing up, I was the smallest kid ever. I was a small, skinny, skill guy who got pushed around quite a bit. So, I learned how to work my way through, and then all of a sudden, I hit a growth spurt, got strong, and now I’m a physical player in the NHL, which [even] still thinking [about] that doesn’t make sense,” he said.
“So, for me to be able to be physical and just have energy and juice, it’s just kind of part of who I am as a person, and it translates on the ice, which is great.”
Cotter has become one of the league’s most physical players over the past few seasons. He ranks third in the league for hits over the past three years with 669 and averaged 2.9 hits per game over that stretch. He had a career-high 10 hits in the season opener during the 2023-24 season with the Golden Knights.
Beyond his personal growth, Cotter is excited to help build a strong culture in the Canucks' organization. He learned a lot in Vegas and likes how the room is gelling early in Vancouver.
“There’s a good balance between some so-called older guys that have been around that are able to translate what needs to happen to younger guys that are willing to learn, and you need to have both," he said.
As the season approaches, the 26-year-old wants to be a good teammate in the locker room and then show his versatility in training camp so that the coaches can trust his style of play.
The opportunity is there for the taking this season, and Cotter is ready for the chance to show what he can do and bring some excitement to Canucks fans along the way.
