Cap hit
$2.15M
2.1% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27
Clause
None
Surplus value
—
arrives with the trade tools
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
3
75.0% shooting
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
4
2.00 per game
TOI/GP
14:02
PP 0:00 · PK 1:56
xGF%
26.9
5v5, -13 vs. last yr
Game Score
+1.13
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
12 W · 10 L
Plus/minus
+3
Blocks 0 · Hits 7
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 vs EDM · L 9-7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 16:12 | 0:00 | 1:59 | 9-5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +1 | +1.10 |
| Sep 29 @ EDM · W 6-5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11:51 | 0:00 | 1:53 | 3-5 | 50 | 0 | 1 | +2 | +1.16 |
| Apr 14 @ BOS · L 4-0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12:31 | 0:11 | 0:00 | 0-2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.61 |
| Apr 12 vs OTT · W 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10:23 | 0:00 | 0:12 | 0-1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -0.08 |
| Apr 11 @ DET · W 5-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8:54 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.16 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 797 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
5th percentile
3rd percentile
13th percentile
8th percentile
1st percentile
7th percentile
2nd percentile
12th percentile
14th percentile
17th percentile
63rd percentile
35th percentile
4th percentile
73rd percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleAggressive forechecking winger
Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26
Cotter is a physical, speedy player who wins puck battles and drives the forecheck with elite intensity. However, he struggles to convert chances and create offense, limiting his ability to finish what his hard work generates.
- Shooting volume
- 14
- Playmaking
- 11
- Zone entries(est.)
- 83
- Forechecking
- 86
- Physicality
- 87
- Defensive impact
- 23
- Puck management
- 78
- Speed
- 87
Where he shoots from
Slot 53% · Mid-range 33% · Perimeter 14%(106 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Dominant forechecking and physicality at 86th and 87th percentiles
- Explosive speed and rush chances at 87th percentile
- High slot shot rate shows willingness to get inside
Watch-outs
- Minimal offensive production with shooting volume at 14th percentile
- Playmaking at 11th percentile limits secondary scoring chances
- Defensive impact at 23rd percentile despite physical play
Similar style: Reid Schaefer (NSH), Carl Grundstrom (PHI)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 79 GP · goals above average
Season total -4.1 goals, or -0.05 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -1.9
- Even strength defense
- -0.6
- Penalty kill
- -0.1
- Finishing
- +0.4
- Playmaking
- -3.9
- Penalties
- +1.9
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
By season
Regular season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | SOG | TOI/GP | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | VAN | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | +3 | 4 | 14:02 | — | +1.13 |
| 2025-26 | NJD | 79 | 9 | 6 | 15 | -24 | 61 | 10:41 | 51.5% | -0.05 |
| 2024-25 | NJD | 79 | 16 | 6 | 22 | -14 | 90 | 13:05 | 52.6% | -0.04 |
| 2023-24 | VGK | 76 | 7 | 18 | 25 | -11 | 100 | 12:44 | 49.1% | -0.07 |
| 2022-23 | VGK | 55 | 13 | 5 | 18 | -5 | 76 | 12:50 | — | +0.02 |
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Age curve
How players at his position age, and where his contract falls on that curve, arrives with the trade tools.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 20.9 mph
- 60th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 2
- Hardest shot
- 81.9 mph
- 84th pct
- Distance
- 1.9 mi
- OZ time
- 31.7%
- 2nd pct
- DZ time
- 53.3%