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Devils Trade Schmid & Holtz to Golden Knights for Paul Cotter

The Devils have acquired Paul Cotter, 6-foot-2, 212 lbs, from the Golden Knights in exchange for Alexander Holtz and Akir Schmid.

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New Jersey Devils
Paul Cotter, Vegas Golden Knights. // Photo courtesy of Vegas Hockey Now (Photo- NAHL Hockey, via Twitter)

General Manager Tom Fitzgerald is wheeling and dealing. New Jersey sends Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid in a Devils trade to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Paul Cotter and a 2025 third-round pick.



The Holtz and Schmid era in New Jersey is over.

The Devils drafted Holtz in the first round, seventh overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. The Swedish forward was drafted as a sniper who was given multiple opportunities to prove that he could stick in an NHL lineup and eventually make his way to the top-six. However, the 22-year-old forward showed deficiencies away from the puck that kept him in the bottom-six of the Devils’ lineup.

Holtz scored 16 goals and 28 points in his first full NHL season this year with the Devils.

General Manager Tom Fitzgerald was pretty clear he believed Alexander Holtz did not have a good season in 2023-24.

Schmid goes to the Golden Knights after he failed to remain on the Devils’ roster in 2023-24. After helping the Devils eliminate the New York Rangers in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs — Schmid struggled with the rest of New Jersey — posting a 5-9-1 record with an 3.15 GAA and .895 SV%.

Schmid didn’t play much stronger at the American Hockey league level this season, either. In 23 games with the Utica Comets, Schmid registered a 3.06 GAA and .894 SV%.

The Devils acquiring Paul Cotter (24) shouldn’t come as a surprise. After Fitzgerald explained he wanted to become tougher, heavier, and more violent to play against, that’s what the Devils are getting in their newest forward.

He’s not going to wow anyone with his skill, but he’s a big body who will fill out the Devils’ bottom-six. Standing t 6-foot-2, 212 lbs, Cotter scored seven goals and 25 points and threw 233 hits, second-most on a heavy Vegas team.

Cotter was drafted in the fourth round, 115th overall by the Golden Knights in the 2018 NHL Draft.

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