# Paul Cotter

Paul Cotter (born November 16, 1999) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Vegas Golden Knights, who drafted him in 2018 and with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2023.

## Playing career

After playing his draft-eligible season with the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL) and recording 18 goals and 39 points in 51 games, Cotter was selected in the fourth round, 115th overall, by the Vegas Golden Knights at the 2018 NHL entry draft.
Although Cotter began the 2018–19 season with Western Michigan University, he left in November 2018 after appearing in eight games and signed with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), in part because he believed going the major junior route would help him secure an entry-level contract with Vegas. He recorded just one point in his college hockey career, an assist.
During the 2021–22 season, Cotter was recalled by the Golden Knights and made his NHL debut on November 9, 2021, against the Seattle Kraken. In a 3–2 victory on November 11, he scored his first NHL goal against Cam Talbot of the Minnesota Wild.
Cotter, as a rookie, spent the entire 2022–23 season, on Vegas' roster, ultimately playing 55 regular-season games and recording 13 goals. Vegas would go on to win the Stanley Cup Finals; although Cotter did not play any playoff games, he automatically qualified for inscription on the Stanley Cup by playing in over half of Vegas' 82 regular-season games.
On June 29, 2024, Cotter was traded by the Golden Knights to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid.

## Career statistics

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2016–17 | Brookings Blizzard | NAHL | 59 | 28 | 32 | 60 | 103 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017–18 | Lincoln Stars | USHL | 51 | 18 | 21 | 39 | 64 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
| 2018–19 | Western Michigan University | NCHC | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | London Knights | OHL | 48 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 25 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2019–20 | Chicago Wolves | AHL | 56 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Henderson Silver Knights | AHL | 38 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2021–22 | Henderson Silver Knights | AHL | 59 | 20 | 15 | 35 | 62 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021–22 | Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23 | Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | 55 | 13 | 5 | 18 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | 76 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 138 | 22 | 23 | 45 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — |

## Awards and honors

| Award | Year |
| NAHL |||
| Central Forward of the Year | 2017 |
| Central MVP | 2017 |
| All-Central Division Rookie Team | 2017 |
| All-Central Division Team | 2017 |
| All-Rookie First Team | 2017 |
| First All-Star Team | 2017 |
| Rookie of the Year | 2017 |
| USHL |||
| All-Rookie Team | 2018 |
| NHL |||
| Stanley Cup champion | 2023 |