Is Canucks' Paul Cotter Already The Top Trade Candidate For The NHL Season?

Paul Cotter has been one of the early standout players of the 2026-27 NHL season. But if the Vancouver Canucks are committing to a rebuild, what does his long-term future with the organization look like?The Vancouver Canucks weren't expected to achieve much after finishing at the bottom of the NHL standings last season. But one player who has exceeded all expectations has been left winger Paul Cotter.Cotter, 26, leads the Canucks with four goals in as many games while adding a pair of assists for six points. Everything about Cotter makes him an interesting name to watch in the months leading up to the trade deadline for this rebuilding team.Related stories In fact, he could probably be labelled as the top trade candidate, even as early as it is in the season.His play itself should already attract the attention of teams that plan to contend for the Stanley Cup, and even just make noise in the playoffs. In addition to his goal-scoring from this young season, Cotter has some bite to his game.He has 13 hits, averaging 3.25 per game, and can play in all situations, featuring on both the penalty kill and power play this year. Also, Cotter's rugged style and scoring touch make him suitable for practically all four lines. Right now he's slotted on Vancouver's second line.Because of how low his cap hit is, if Cotter can keep up his production throughout the year and potentially until the trade deadline, he could end up being an attractive asset. After all, it's expected that Vancouver will be a selling team when that time comes, so recouping a high draft pick or some sort of future asset can help them in this rebuild.Prior to this season, he's never been one to put up plenty of points. His career-high for goals in a season is 16, which came in 2024-25 with the New Jersey Devils. And he's never scored more than 25 points in a campaign (2023-24 with the Vegas Golden Knights).Nonetheless, in a season that likely won't be so bright for the Canucks, Cotter's influence can be a positive for the club.For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.