Paul Cotter is wasting no time making an impression in Vancouver.
The former Golden Knights forward is off to the best three-game start of his NHL career, and Sunday night he added another marker to the run by scoring against his old team. His goal gave the Canucks an early lead at Rogers Arena, but Vegas answered with a 3-2 win.
Cotter’s finish came late in the first period on the power play. With Jake DeBrusk out because of an illness, Cotter moved up to Vancouver’s top unit and redirected a Filip Hronek pass past Adin Hill.
That was his third goal of the season, and it pushed his totals to five points through Vancouver’s first three games, thanks to two assists as well. In six NHL seasons, Cotter had never opened a year with five points through his first three games. He scored twice in Vancouver’s opener against Edmonton, including the overtime winner, then picked up an assist in the second game before scoring again Sunday.
Vegas had the last word, though.
Mitch Marner tied the game in the second period, and Victor Olofsson put the Golden Knights ahead for the first time on the power play. Jonathan Lekkerimaki answered late in the period, but Marc Gatcomb restored Vegas’ lead just 34 seconds later. That goal held up the rest of the way.
Adin Hill made 18 saves in his first start of the season, and Vegas shut Vancouver out in the third period after dropping Friday’s 4-3 decision to Anaheim.
Cotter’s history with the Golden Knights runs deep. He spent three seasons in Vegas from 2021-22 through 2023-24, appearing in 138 games and posting 22 goals and 23 assists. Vegas traded him to the New Jersey Devils in June 2024 for Alexander Holtz and goaltender Akira Schmid.
After two seasons in New Jersey, Cotter turned in his most productive NHL campaign in 2024-25, scoring 16 goals in 79 games. He then signed a one-year, $2.15 million contract with Vancouver this summer.
So far, that move looks sharp for the Canucks, even if Cotter couldn’t quite finish the job against the team that helped launch his NHL career.
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