Revisiting the Devils’ Paul Cotter Trade One Year Later

A little over a year ago, the New Jersey Devils announced they had traded fan favorite Alexander Holtz and goaltender Akira Schmid to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Paul Cotter and a 2025 third-round draft pick. Following a disappointing, injury-riddled 2023-24 season, the Devils opted for a grittier bottom-six forward in the hopes that it would spark a new identity for the team.

At the time, many fans questioned general manager Tom Fitzgerald ’s motives, wondering whether or not the team gave up too early on the player they drafted seventh overall in 2020, along with the goalie who played a massive role in their 2023 playoff run.

Both players had limited roles with the Devils. Holtz only played a full 82-game campaign once, receiving ample criticism for his lack of defensive responsibility and being unable to live up to his high-scoring potential. Schmid, on the other hand, only received 33 starts within three seasons before becoming a dispensable piece of their goaltending logjam. Once they acquired Jacob Markstrom, it only made sense to trade away one of their goalies. Schmid became a likely candidate, mostly due to his struggles in 2023-24, where his save percentage (SV%) plummeted from .922 to .895.

Now that a full season has passed, let’s revisit this trade to see which team came out on top.

Golden Knights Acquire Alexander Holtz & Akira Schmid

Much like his time spent with the Devils, Holtz’s first season with the Golden Knights was very hit-or-miss. He was frequently benched in New Jersey, but the impression was that he would receive more ice time after being traded. Instead, he recorded 11:35 ice time per game and played a total of 53 games. Within that time frame, he earned four goals and eight assists. However, he showed improvement in certain areas, with a minus-3 rating as compared to his minus-15 in 2023-24.

Holtz also exhibited moments of potential in the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored 13 points in 16 games with the Henderson Silver Knights, which included seven goals. If he can continue to refine his game further, there’s a strong chance that he will be able to secure more ice time and earn a more prominent role within the Golden Knights’ bottom-six.

Schmid’s fall from grace was an unexpected storyline for the Devils. After going 0-4-0 during his first season in the NHL, the last thing fans ever expected was him becoming their playoff savior the following year. After rounding out the 2022-23 season with a 2.13 goals-against average (GAA), he managed a .921 SV% in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He had a terrific playoff debut, which featured two shutouts, includi ng a monumental Game 7 victory against the New York Rangers. Meaning, expectations for the young Swiss goaltender were high headed into 2023-24. But instead of delivering, Schmid posted a 5-9-1 record, and also spent the season being shuttled between the AHL and the NHL.

His first season in Vegas was admittedly a small sample pool. Schmid played in just five regular-season games, along with one playoff appearance in Game 3 against the Minnesota Wild, where he stepped in to relieve Adin Hill, stopping all nine shots he faced. However, unlike Holtz, Schmid struggled at the AHL level, posting a 9-18-3 record with the Silver Knights. Schmid is expected to be the Golden Knights’ backup headed into 2025-26, but the question remains: can he excel in a full-time NHL role?

Devils Acquire Paul Cotter & Third-Round Pick

Cotter showed nothing but strength throughout his first season as a Devil. Last season, he set career highs in goals (16), blocked shots (32), faceoff win percentage (52.6%), and hits (245). In fact, he now holds the franchise record in single-season hits, and his presence marked a change in the physicality mindset the Devils have adopted. He began the 2024-25 season on a hot streak, with eight points in 12 games throughout October. Even though his goal-scoring touch came and went during the following months, Cotter still helped revitalize New Jersey’s bottom-six.