Vancouver’s Paul Cotter is off to a blistering start, and the league has taken notice.
The Canucks forward was named the NHL’s third star of the week after piling up four goals in four games to open the season, capped by the overtime winner in the season opener. New York Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was selected as the first star, with Edmonton Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard taking second-star honours.
Cotter has become one of the early drivers of Vancouver’s attack. He leads the Canucks in goals and is tied with Elias Pettersson for the team lead in points with six.
Even more eye-opening: he has recorded at least one point in all four games he has played this season. Last year, it took him until December 11th to get to four goals.
His scoring run started with a two-goal night in Edmonton on opening night, then continued with his third goal in the Canucks’ home opener against the Oilers two nights later. Cotter added his fourth on the power play late in the first period of Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Vegas.
Signed July 1st to a one-year, $2.15M deal, the 26-year-old has already shown a knack for finishing in every situation. His four goals have come shorthanded, in 3-on-3 overtime, at 5-on-5, and on the power play. He’s averaging 15:14 of ice time, has split time between centre and wing, and has won 22 of 42 faceoffs, a 52.4% success rate.
Sunday night also marked Cotter’s 300th NHL game.
The Canucks are now off until Thursday, when they begin a six-game road trip in Carolina. That stretch continues with visits to the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
In Other News...
Oilers Trade Focus Turns To One Roster Battle Up Front
Leevi Merilinen gave the Canucks a useful snapshot of why Vancouver claimed him off waivers from Ottawa, turning in a sharp showing against Calgary and giving the club a timely look at its goaltending depth. For a team that is always balancing short-term stability with longer-range roster questions, a performance like that matters, especially when every spot on the roster has to earn its keep.
Across the division, the Oilers are still sorting through their own roster pressure points, with trade chatter centered on the possibility of moving a depth defenseman to help their forward group. Three names have come up as potential candidates, and the discussion has only fed broader speculation around the league, including a theory tying several trade requests to players on Team USAs Olympic roster. For now, though, that looks more like a coincidence than a clean pattern, with each situation carrying its own logic and timing. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Face A Risky Call On An Intriguing Flames Forward
Connor Zarys name is suddenly in play for the Canucks after Calgary put the 25-year-old forward on waivers alongside Brayden Pachal, with the intention of sending both players to the AHL if they clear. Vancouver sits atop the waiver order, which gives it first crack at a player who was once viewed as an intriguing part of the Flames future and could still tempt a team looking for a low-cost swing on offensive upside.
The appeal is easy to see, but so is the caution. Zarys game has looked less lively since a pair of knee injuries in 2025, and the dip in foot speed has changed how he fits on the ice. For Vancouver, the question is not just whether there is enough upside left to justify a claim, but whether the organization wants to take on the added risk of trying to revive a player whose recent track record has become harder to trust. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Hit A Familiar Frustration Against Vegas Again
For a night, it looked like Vancouver might finally be ready to push back against one of its most familiar roadblocks. Paul Cotter and Jonathan Lekkerimaki found the net for the Canucks, and the game stayed tight deep into the third period as the club kept chasing a result that would have meant more than two points against Vegas.
Marc Gatcomb answered with the go-ahead goal for the Golden Knights, and Adin Hill backed it with 17 saves as Vegas held on for a 3-2 win. The loss was another reminder of how hard this matchup has been for Vancouver, with Hill continuing a personal run against the Canucks and Vegas once again leaving no doubt about who has controlled this series. [Read more 🡒]