My Thoughts on the Holtz/Schmid for Paul Cotter Trade...

The New Jersey Devils trade Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid to the Vegas Golden Knights, in exchange for Paul Cotter and a 2025 3rd round pick. Here are my thoughts...

[@yoholmes273]

Holtz will easily score over 30 goals as a top 6 forward for Vegas next season. Holtz , Schmid, & Vegas will be in the playoffs next season while Fitz will hold another press conference blaming the dress code and lack of "accountability".

[@megapromo3771]

Holtz will not be in the top six of anything. He’s coming to a real team. We have dudes in the AHL better than this kid.

[@NJDBLOG]

Yeah, I am a bit afraid of Holtz flourishing with his new team. Vegas just seems to be the place where players figure out their game. But hey, hopefully the Devils make the playoffs again, and I do think they have a good shot with their roster (including what they'll be adding in FA).

[@GoodMenstruationAttitude]

Vegas didn't qualify Schmid so... maybe

[@chillionaire7114]

I never saw anyone defending Holtz. Not the coaching staff, not Fitz, but most importantly - not his teammates. When other players were struggling, you would hear other guys in the locker room talking them up. Never with Holtz. Thats either an indictment of Holtz (attitude problem in the room and during practice) or this leadership group (not able to get through to Holtz). Either way, Holtz's time on the Devils was aging like milk, not wine - and was only going to get worse. Maybe Vegas, with a more established leadership group, can get through to him.

[@NJDBLOG]

Yeah what was particularly alarming to me was the lack of support from Lindy/Fitzy. I do think a fresh change of scenery will help Holtz, just hopefully not enough to the point where it ends up looking like an awful trade. Hoping for the best for Cotter!

[@devilvinceyu]

yay!! Good to see you, Brother! Devils made some solid moves to fill some needs….. nothing tooo fancy, but not bad

[@Nicovertime]

Holtz may have s ton of potential but he also may not. I think Tom Fitzgerald is cutting his losses and admitting his mistake by selling him low. I will miss Akira much more 😢

[@yoholmes273]

Fitz should have been fired years ago

[@NJDBLOG]

Yeah Schmid is a loss, and it would be a bummer (though I would be happy for him) if he does figure out his game with Vegas. We're losing some assets, and it'll be interesting to see if they turn things around with their new team. I am optimistic about Cotter!

[@Nicovertime]

@@NJDBLOG yes I like the elements Cotter will bring to the team 👍

[@anson.meadows]

With the Cotter trade…shouldn’t have cost more than Schmid, alone. Holtz was way too much, imo. Despite the need, it was an overpayment (imo). *You sound like the gent that called in to Runnin with The Devils (YT page), an hour ago.

[@devilsandchargersfan385]

Cotter for holtz 3 rounder for schmid I’m pretty sure that’s how it lined up and I thing individually that makes sense. Holtz hasn’t been good enough to fetch more and schmid had only a handful of good nhl starts. I’ll love shmido forever for beating the rags but he’s super inconsistent so a 3rd rounder is fair

[@NJDBLOG]

It does feel like an overpay, and I'm concerned with how Schmid/Holtz will develop with a new team like Vegas, which seems to do wonders with player turnarounds. I do like Cotter though, and I hope he'll be one of the extra additions that will help push the Devils into a playoff fun. We'll see what happens!

[@NJDBLOG]

@@devilsandchargersfan385 It does seem to match up that way, it hurts that a 7th overall four years ago only gets Cotter in a return, but it's clear that Holtz return value was as low as ever, and the Knights do value Cotter in their lineup. Really hoping Cotter ends up being one of those missing pieces for a potential run!

[@megapromo3771]

Paul Cotter is a beast. He’s a warrior than can make things happen.

[@yoholmes273]

Such a "beast" ...... ....he was benched every single game during the playoffs during The Cup run.

[@megapromo3771]

@@yoholmes273 I’m surprised anyone from Jersey even knows what a “cup run” is. You probably learned that term watching other teams play. Trust, no one in Vegas is happy with the trade either. Trading a man for a 4th line center who will be a healthy scratch every other game isn’t a solid deal. But at least he will finally know what it’s like to win.

[@NJDBLOG]

I've heard a lot of great things about his effort and grit, I'm really hoping he slots well as our fourth line center. Those are sometimes the extra pieces you need to make a strong run in the playoffs, which I'm desperately hoping for!

[@bted]

I'd rather not judge these trades till we see what Arch-chancellor Fitzroy does in free agency. In part, it looks like he's casting off weight and freeing up space for July 1. 19M in cap space isn't bad. I'd prefer Zadorov and/or Dillon over Pesce, but it looks like it'll be Pesce. And another forward. Bertuzzi, I'm hoping.

[@NJDBLOG]

I do love the space we have that we'll need these next few years. You never know how a trade will work out until they play, but if things go wrong for the Devils it's gonna look real bad with both Holtz and Schmid potentially figuring things out. But I do like Cotter and we'll just have to see how the next few seasons go. Devils need a RHD so I do think they need Pesce, but it does seem like they're going after Dillon as well, who could definitely slot well on the left side third-pairing. Bertuzzi is probably up for a decent contract with long term, but if the Devils could fit him in he'd be an awesome addition!

[@johnt1115]

Nice trade. Cotter brings what we need. Holtz value dropped precipitously.

[@NJDBLOG]

Devils are getting a player that they need, some grit and toughness is something they were massively missing until MacDermid came in. Hoping this is another piece that brings them back to the playoffs!

[@cbonez2909]

No one wanted Holtz. Not even his home national team would take him. He was cut!!! There is more here then we are seeing. Holtz was a bust and devil fans need to move on!! I feel bad for Akira. He was mishandled. We saw what he could do in the playoffs. But Holtz plays zero board game and zero defensive awareness!! Fitz isnt a good GM but i see what he is doing. He wants more "sandpaper". Some nastiness!!

[@yoholmes273]

TERRIBLE take. This is the worst NJ trade I've ever seen. Keep drinking that Fitz Kool-Aid 🤡

[@NJDBLOG]

Holtz value was definitely at an all time low. I do think with the right system, and in his prime, he has the potential to be a 30 goal scorer in this league, with at least more defensive awareness (though he'll certainly never be a two-way player). At Schmid's age he still has time to figure out his game. It's a big payment for what the Devils got in return, but I do like the grit that Cotter will bring on that fourth line. It'll be interesting to see what we're thinking a few years down the road about this trade, it could be different! Or it could be a whole lot worse. Hoping for the best!

[@untoxify1080]

Horrible take. He has not been used properly by nj and since Vegas is losing so many forwards he will get at least 2-3 line minutes and will be able to show what he can do, he’s a 4 liner and he put up 16 goals

[@reyrage15]

We let Wood walk in free agency then traded a 7th overall pick and goalie prospect for him.

[@michaelmignone5869]

Cotters on league min, schmid had no spot and was probably gonna let walk with markstrom/allen in NJ, Daws/poulter in utica. Holtz wasnt wanted in any trade and has only a shot and nothing more. Doesnt matter where someone gets drafted, if they dont work out they dont work out.

[@manchillaification]

Wood was trash

[@yoholmes273]

And Cotter is not as good as Wood

[@NJDBLOG]

I do see some parallels with Wood, mostly with speed, but Cotter is a bigger hitter, and I feel like his grit/effort outmatches Wood. And on Michael's point, two more years at league min is very valuable. I do think it was overpay, but I think he can be a contributor for this team both in the regular season and playoffs.

[@VGK702]

As a vegas fan cotter absolutely gives his all every shift, him carrier and kolesar would just wear defenses down with hits. He won't score much but he has scored some absolute beautiful goals before just for reference watch this goal he scored last year against the flyers. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZWtoHWLa9idhMksi=6llqO5YhwRSqg3Sx

[@boruchlazarnick2244]

U made a few videos nice

[@manchillaification]

Great trade for fitz

[@yoholmes273]

The worst ....ever

[@NJDBLOG]

This is the first i'm seeing of this take haha, really hoping it's good in hindsight.