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Devils have acquired F Paul Cotter and Vegas third in 2025 for Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid



Devils have acquired F Paul Cotter and Vegas third in 2025 for Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid

by septimus29

34 Comments

  1. atoms12123

    They must really think nothing of Alexander Holtz.

  2. stanley_g00dspeed

    Guess we know that it wasn’t just Lindy that hated Holtz

  3. eburton555

    What the fuck? This is a head scratcher. Their value combined can’t be that low that they are worth less playing for Utica?

  4. TallTalent

    Bah gawd it’s Lindy Ruff from the top rope!

  5. specifichero101

    Devils really don’t value holtz apparently. Schmid I was not high on either he looks terribly slow, but I think this might be giving up on holtz too soon but at least we get a huge guy who can play centre.

  6. bluepress

    Finally we have a thread where we find out the actual value the rest of the league had for Holtz wasn’t what Devils fans thought it would be.

  7. roothockey

    Why is everyone freaking out. Holtz had next to no value. He didn’t make the Sweden team, he was passed over by zetterlund and muk in the trade deal. Numerous coaches put him in the dog house. Maybe the player just isn’t that good. Paul cotter is a solid bottom 6 forward and we desperately need a better bottom 6

  8. DavidPuddy666

    Don’t like the trade but Cotter will be a good McLeod replacement.

  9. Not that I love this trade, but the reality is that Fitz is clearly working the phones with multiple teams and several trades having now gone down. Yet this is the best that Holtz could yield in trade – tough pill to swallow, but apparently other teams aren’t that keen on him.

    I recall a reporter mentioning that the Flames getting Bahl instead of Holtz may have been by their choice too…

  10. wonderul31

    To start Holtz was one of my favorite guys on the team. However it was pretty clear to me that our front office didn’t see him as a top 6 guy and we decided to get a player who fits the physical style we want to play in the bottom 6. Also think schmiids agent made it clear that he didn’t want to resign with us so at least we get something in return. The fanboy in me absolutely hates this trade but going through it in my head I can see the vision that Fitz has with this trade. Bye Holtzy and Schmido we will definitely miss them!

  11. mustachiolong

    I don’t like the trade but I’m not going to throw a fit until we see where free agency lies. It was only ever going to be Daws or Schmid not both with Poulter in the wings and all the goalies we’ve drafted this year.

    Friedman was basically telling us all of last week that no one views Holtz as a top tier prospect by saying that orgs valued Bahl more. Which no offense to Bahl but most people realize his ceiling is more middle pairing than top.

  12. whoisthisherb

    Are we all just ignoring the face that Holtz was also cut by Sweden in this year’s IIHF in favor for three non-NHLers? Who do you think knows more, a bunch of armchair GMs where a large portion have probably never even played a game of hockey that isn’t on a gaming console or dozens of professional managers across multiple leagues and offices?  Stop acting like this was a McDavid for Yakupov trade 

  13. dan4hockey99

    At face value this looks bad. If you understand hockey, you cannot win a cup with holtz in the bottom six. Our window is now open. There is no space for him in the top six. He is the odd man out. Schmid isn’t developing fast enough for management and they went and got a needed piece. Fitz is assembling a roster that is extremely more formidable and gritty (if the UFA rumors are true) than last years team. Say what you will but in order to do that you need to give up pieces, which right now we currently do not need. Wish holtz and akira the best in vegas, but something needed to be done.

  14. Tmattfie30

    Honestly hope that Holtz goes over there and just fucks shit up. Prove the haters wrong my boi

  15. bluepress

    Once you are picked, it doesn’t matter where you were drafted, it matters what you do on the ice.

    Your value is what the rest of the NHL says it is.

  16. pretzelogically

    I can just see it now this kid is gonna get ripped by all the armchair dum dums until they see how he hits anything that moves and has a little bit of a scoring touch. Give me 4 – 5 big, nasty, physical bottom six players like Cotter who can also contribute 10-12 goals any day of the week. We have enough high end scoring talent. We need to build a team with some depth and versatily now.

  17. NYDevilsFan

    This one stings when you consider the fact this was our top pick after the disaster of a season we had in 2019-2020.

    Then add to the fact the players drafted after him; Seth Jarvis, Lundell, & Askarov not too far after him.

  18. jerseygunz

    We didn’t need holtz, we have enough pizzaz, we need bigger dudes that can hit

  19. OldResearcher6

    Fitz is clearing the deck for Monday. I bet he’s gonna tag pesce and Dillon, or try to, and if that’s the case and markstrom plays even league average goaltending, the metro is gonna have a fun time dealing with us.

    They are veteran D that are physical and are good penalty killers, exactly the kind of mentors nemec and hughes would do well under.

  20. powatwain

    Meh

    Schmid for Cotter

    Holtz for a 3rd

    SJ didn’t want him, Calgary didn’t want him, he couldn’t make Sweden

    It’s not like Fitz just didn’t try to find value for him

  21. Who is going to look after markstorm’s kids now??? We needed holtz to take that role

  22. bluepress

    Clearly Fitz turned down better trade offers just to piss off reddit.

  23. artofmikeychristiano

    Look into Paul Cotter DUDE HITS!! We need this.

  24. cody-has93

    Clearly Holtz’s value is closer to what Fitz and Ruff were seeing than what this subreddit of armchair GMs thinks.

    Wish I could say I’m surprised.

  25. Lots of people seem to be angry that the IDEA of Holtz and Schmid are gone, but the REALITY is these guys weren’t worth much and we got something we needed in return.

    Thanks for beating the Rangers 2 years ago Schmido, but you were obviously too slow and inconsistent. With the acquisition of Markstrom, drafting 2 goalies today, and Daws + others on the roster, Schmid was the odd man out.

    Holtz played no defense and brought no physicality. For 3 years, we’ve heard all sorts of excuses, but obviously, if Lindy, the Swedish national team, and now Fitzgerald saw no value in him, it was time to move on.

    There’s nothing sexy about trading for Paul Cotter, but he’s 24 years old, plays solid defense, brings a physical presence, has shown some flashes of skilled scoring, and has won a Stanley Cup. We also got a 3rd Rounder.

    Good trade.

  26. Borktista

    Man, I said it at the time but I really wished they traded Holtz last summer. Going back I wished Sharks wanted him over Zetterlund. Fabian would be great on this team

  27. polish_hamr

    Honestly, the more I look into this, I’m not hating the deal. I think it works out pretty well with our team needs

  28. -PoeticJustice-

    As head-scratching as it is now, it seems just as likely we come back to the trade in 2 or 3 years and and praise it as a prudent move

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