Paul Cotter’s first few games in Vancouver have already given the Canucks plenty to like, and now he’s heading back to New Jersey carrying the kind of confidence that comes from making an immediate splash.
Cotter opened the season with a memorable performance in the Canucks’ 6-5 win over the Edmonton Oilers, scoring his first career shorthanded goal and his second career overtime-winner. That outing also put him in rare company: he became the sixth player in franchise history to score multiple goals in his Vancouver debut, and the first Canuck to score either a shorthanded or overtime goal in his debut.
Now comes a different kind of test, one that Cotter knows well. He spent two seasons with the New Jersey Devils, and he understands the extra edge that comes with facing old teammates. Having already gone through a trade for the first time in his career, moving from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Devils in 2024, he knows a return game can stir up a lot.
“Those guys in Vegas, I won a Cup with. I was super tight with them, it's considered family, so it's very difficult playing my game when you want to put somebody through the boards, but you learn that it's almost a respect thing,” Cotter said.
He said the Devils will know what’s coming.
“These guys [the Devils] know I'm going to be coming for all of them; I think they expect that. They know that I'm a competitor, so I'll be gunning for all of them, but it'll be exciting.”
Cotter is in his sixth NHL season now, and he’s settled into a mindset that keeps him from overloading any one game with too much meaning. He’s taking things one day at a time, though he did admit one detail about this trip is already on his mind.
“I’ve just got to make sure I beat Nico Hischier on the face-offs, or else I'm going to get crap for it,” Cotter laughed. “I try not to think about it too much, maybe a couple smirks and warm-ups to some guys, but other than that, just play my game.”
That simple approach has fit the way he’s started the year. After seasons spent chasing more opportunity, Cotter has found a bigger role in Vancouver, skating alongside Brock Boeser and Marco Rossi. The job now is to keep it going.
“Now the mindset is to maintain. Obviously not to change anything in my game, but just to try and stay even keel. That's the biggest thing mindset-wise is don't let the highs get too high and lows get too low,” Cotter said.
He’s also figured out the daily balance that works best for him. Cotter said the trick is being locked in without getting tight, keeping the tone serious while still bringing energy.
“You're dialed in, but you're also happy, positive, and bringing electric energy, and that kind of takes you to a whole other level. You can't really get off your game when you’re like that,” he said.
The 26-year-old winger has already clicked with Vancouver fans, and he said that support matters inside the room too.
“It’s so cool. [If] you have a couple people that have your back, that means the world.
All my buddies are sending me cool memes and stuff like that, that the fans are saying. Obviously, that means the world to us players,” Cotter said.
“If we have the backing of the fans like that, that gives us juice. That's ultimately going to make other teams not want to come into our building and play if we have that energy and excitement and the backing of the fans, so I mean they help a tremendous amount.”
On the road, Cotter said there’s also value in the time the team spends together away from the rink. Those trips give the Canucks a chance to build chemistry, with travel and downtime helping the group get to know each other better.
Through the first five games, the emphasis has been on tightening up the little things.
“There's tiny little things, like a little bit better decision making, and that'll come with time. Sometimes there's a play at the blue line where the other team got two quick goals,” Cotter said.
“[We] just [need to] play deep [and] play simple.”
For Cotter, that’s the formula: keep it in perspective, stick with what’s working, and carry the same game into New Jersey.
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