Paul Cotter Was Impactful For The Devils This Season; Reacting to The 2025-26 NHL Schedule
The 2025 2026 schedule has been released and let’s talk about Paul Carter because he brought the boom to the Devils. Literally, there’s a lot to break down in today’s episode of Locked on Devils. Buckle up everybody. You’re Locked on Devils, your daily podcast on the New Jersey Devils, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. Hi, this is Bryce Salvador and you’re locked on Devils. Trey Matthews scores. Oh, Steven, nailed it. Rodor’s got the puck. What a shot. The Devils win the Stanley Cup. All righty now. What is up, New Jersey? Welcome back to the Lockdown Devils podcast here at the Lockdown Network. I’m your host Kakup play announcer Delwire Pucks Pitchforks and also part-time credential member Trey Matthews. I hope you guys enjoyed yesterday’s episode in which I conducted an interview with Don Lreka. He was recently named the new television play-by-play announcer for the Devils on MSG. If you’ve not checked out that episode, please pause this one and give it a listen. Don provided great insight. He’s been in the industry for a long time and I really enjoyed the discussion. What’s on the agenda for today’s episode? We’re going to talk about Paul Carter and how impactful he was for the Devils. I know he sort of tailed off as the season progressed, but make no mistake, I think Tom Fitzgerald made the smart move by trading away Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid to get Cotter services. and he helped the Devils in more ways than one. But that’s a little later in today’s episode. You will also hear from Paul Carter from sound bites I was able to obtain from Exit interviews. But to kick off today’s episode, we’re going to react to the schedule. So, the NHL schedule was recently revealed for all 32 teams, and all the teams social media platforms had a blast revealing some of their more notable matchups, including the Devils. Douggee Hamilton featured in it once again. Last year, he was dressed up like a professor, and I think Curtis Lazar was like one of his students, and he went by the nickname Professor Douggee. But this time around, he was in the NJ Devil costume. He was playing dodgeball with some kids who were wearing some opposing gear and he showed no mercy. It that’s one of the examples in which I say that Douggee not really the biggest fan when it comes to speaking to the media, but when it comes to social media, he’s definitely hilarious. And I I think he’s okay turning himself into a meme. That’s why people say that he is the social media admin. But getting back on track, let’s react to some of the more notable games on the docket for the Devils. And you will also hear maybe a mini rant toward the end of this segment. Okay, my first takeaway from looking at the schedule, if you notice that the schedule seems a little tight in some areas, it’s because it is. You have to factor in that the Olympics will take place in midFebruary and a lot of NHL representatives will be traveling to Italy to participate in the Winter Olympics including some Devils players like Jack Hughes for team USA. Nico Heir team Omire and Yonas Seanthaler for team Swiss, Jacob Marstrom and Jasper Brat for team Sweden. I’m looking forward to the winter Olympics. My only concern is that for someone like Jack Hughes who is prone to getting injured, if you factor in preeason, the regular season, the Olympics, and possibly a deep playoff run by the Devils, that’s a lot of hockey for someone who’s had their season cut short in back-to- back years. So, I really hope that Jack Hughes is able to handle all that and not just him, but a few other players as well. But I’m excited for the Winter Olympics and I can’t wait to see NHL players participating in it once again. The Devils will be thrown right into the fire to begin the season. So, they’ll they’ll begin the year on the road. They’ll take on the Hurricanes, the Lightning, and the Blue Jackets to kick off the 2025 2026 season. We all know the Hurricanes always give the Devils hell. They eliminated the Devils in this year’s playoffs in the first round. The Devils did all that they could do, but let’s face it, they were depleted and their players were dropping like flies due to injury. The Lightning always a tough matchup. I think they gave the Devils some trouble last season as well. I remember being present for one of those games in the Sunshine State. I thought with the Lightning losing Stephen Stamp Coast, it would be a huge void that they would have to fill and I’m sure it was, but Lightning were still a playoff team. They still have a lot of other great players on their roster, including Nikita Cooerov, Victor Hedman. You still got Andre Basileski, Annette, Braden Point, you name it. The Lightning still have a lot of great players on their roster, even if they’re not competing for a Stanley Cup. The Blue Jackets, I don’t think that’s a team you can underestimate. They were on the outside looking in. They surprised a lot of people and they were definitely playing with a lot of emotion and passion, drive, especially with the tragedy that happened last summer with Johnny Goodro and his brother. So, they were playing for something bigger. They rallied together and I got to give them their props. It was very entertaining to see and I said it throughout the course of the season. I was genuinely rooting for them and I still think they have a lot left in the tank. So, while the Blue Jackets might not be a threat to win the Metro, I don’t think you can count them out as a playoff team. And now, when we look at the home opener for the Devils, they’re going up against the back-to back Stanley Cup champion, Florida Panthers. So, that’s certainly going to be a challenge, but worth mentioning. The Devils played some of their best games against the Panthers last season. Hopefully Matthew Kachchuck doesn’t try going after Nico Heir yet again. And after the Panthers leave town, the Devils got to take on the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers. Curtis Lazar, who was recently signed by the Oilers, will make his return to the Credential Center early in the season. So, not only do you have to go up against the Stanley Cup champion, but you got to go up against the runner-ups as well. Not easy. And then the Devils will travel to Toronto. That’s always a difficult task. Sheldon Keith is still looking for vengeance against his former club. Despite battling the Leafs hard, the Devils didn’t come out victorious in any of the matchups last season. January 29th, Eric Holla will make his return to the Credential Center if the Predators decide to hold on to him. I you never know. Maybe they’ll try to deal Eric Hollow way closer to trade deadline because maybe Hollow wants to play for a contender. I don’t really know. Hala seems to be dealt to playoff caliber rosters quite frequently. Depend. So, we’ll see how that situation unfolds. Mark your calendars for December 14th because that’s when Hughes Bowl will occur. I think it’s bigger than the Super Bowl. I’m just joking. Please don’t take what I just said out of context. Evani Donov, he will go back to Dallas on March 24th. The Devils won’t make their lengthy western trip until January 18th and that will last through the 26th. During that span, Connor Brown will return to Edmonton. But here’s the biggest thing that needs to be talked about. The Devils will only play their rival from across the Hudson River, the New York Rangers. only three times this season. Not four, three times. Not only that, three times in the same month, but it’s not early in the season. It’s in March, towards the end of the season. So, the Devils won’t get to see their dreaded rival, if you factor out preseason, until March. Look, I know the schedule is a little more difficult this time around because you have to factor in the Olympics, but that’s a missed opportunity for the NHL if you ask me. Why are the Devils only playing the Rangers three times? Not only that, but three times in the same month towards the end of the season. My only educated guess is that I think the NHL was thinking of, hm, maybe there’ll be some playoff implications. Maybe both teams will be battling out for maybe the first seed in the Metro or one of them is on the outside looking in and they got to try to win all these games and now they got to go up against their dreaded rival. That doesn’t really make much sense if you ask me. But will the Rangers be better than they were last year? I I have my doubts because they’ve unloaded a lot of bigname players. I we’ll see the direction they head into, but if they have Igor Shurkin, I think they’re going to be solid. Nothing spectacular. I really don’t understand the thought process here. The Devils playing their dreaded rival from across the Hudson River only three times. That was a shocker for a lot of people. And I think that’s the biggest gripe that everybody has when it comes to the Devils schedule. So, I was okay with the scheduling for the most part. Yes, the Devils will be thrown into the fire right away to begin the season, but you know what? I’m all for an early season challenge. And maybe the Devils can dig deep a little bit and take advantage of some teams that might be rusty out the gates and not yet settled. I’m okay with that. But only playing the Rangers three times. Not only that, three times in the same month. And not only that, to add insult to injury towards the end of the season, second to last month. We’ll see how that turns out. And I I I didn’t see the numbers from last year. I’m just speculating, but anytime the Rangers and the Devils played one another on national television, it seemed like everybody enjoyed it. I saw the the game would be trending on social media. Just some food for thought. But I’m not in charge of the scheduling. Let me know your thoughts. What did you think of the schedule when you first saw it? And how funny is Douggee Hamilton? I found that somewhat comical. All right, we’re going to reflect on Paul Carter’s 2024 2025 season momentarily, but before we continue, let me tell you guys about game time. We’ve all been there, logging on early and waiting forever for concert tickets to go on sale only to lose your spot for a show you’ve been dying to see. Live music should be about making memories, not dealing with stress of ticket shopping. That’s where game time comes in. Game time makes getting concert tickets faster and easier than ever. Prices actually drop as it gets closer to Showtime and you can save up to 60% off with their killer last minute deals. Tired of endlessly scrolling trying to find the best deal? Game time zone deals pick the best seats in your section for you. Ever wonder what your view will actually look like before you buy? The app shows you a great view of your seat so there are no surprises. With Game Time, the prices you see is the price you pay. No hidden fees. Worried about what happens if plans change? The Game Time Guarantee has your back with cancellation protection and more. Take the guesswork out of buying concert and show tickets with Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use the code locked on NHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code locked on NHL for $20 off. Download the Game Time app today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. Okay, let’s talk about Paul Carter and his 2024 2025 season. First year as a Devil, how did he get here in the first place? I remember covering it when the news first broke. It was the second day of the draft and it was revealed that the Devils had traded away Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid in exchange for Paul Carter. Now, at the time, I felt as though the Devil sacrificed a little too much to get Paul Carter because Alexander Holtz, we knew he was going to be dealt away. It seemed like his time was winding down in New Jersey. My main takeaway from Alexander Holtz was that he was a great scorer. He can contribute when it came to racking up goals. Unfortunately, his stick work, his defense, it was anywhere from mediocre to bad, which made it easy for then head coach Lindy Ruff to bench him at certain points. And when people were asking like, “Hey, Alexander Holtz is producing goals and yet you’re benching him. Why is that?” Well, Lindy Ruff got defensive and would sometimes say, “You clearly don’t watch the game very well. Here’s what happens when Holtz is out there.” which caused a lot of traction on social media. But getting back to Holtz, we knew that he was on borrowed time. He’s young. He has a lot of upside. But the thing is, Holtz’s name has been brought up in trade discussions before for more well-known players like Tee O Meer, maybe Tyler DeFoley, you name it. Why was Holtz and also Akira Schmid who performed really well in the 2023 playoffs? Why did Tom Fitzgerald package those two players for Paul Carter who’s a bottom six contributor? Well, Paul Carter showed what he’s capable of doing. In 79 games played, he had 16 goals, which was seventh on the team. He had six assists, 16th on the team. Needs to work on that a little bit more. He finished the year with 22 points, 10th on the team. He had a plus minus rating of minus14, which was worst, dead last on the Devils roster. He won 41 faceoffs, ninth on the team, giving him a faceoff win percentage of 52.6%. He had 32 blocks, 13th on the team. He had 17 takeaways, 10th on the team. But here’s where Paul Carter makes his money. He finished this season with 245 hits. Not only did that lead the Devils, that broke a franchise record previously held by Blake Coleman from the 2018 2019 season. I shared on social media when the Devils first obtained Carter that if Carter kept his hit rate the same as it was in Vegas, he would break the franchise record with ease. He actually told me that he saw my tweet and he used it as motivation to try to break the franchise record and lo and behold, he now sits alone when it comes to most hits in a single season. He he talked about it. He said it it’s kind of surreal considering the fact that the Devils in prior years were known for their physicality, their aggression. A franchise that has seen the likes of Scott Stevens and Kandano not afraid to knock your head clean off. Paul Carter is kind of in elite company, I would say. I asked about Paul Carter’s impact from this past season during exit interviews. Here’s what he had to tell me. uh seemed like you had a much bigger role on this team compared to your previous team Vegas. How would you assess your first season on a personal level? That’s uh yeah, great. I think definitely helps knowing that you know you you’re making a difference, right? So um my my role was a little bit bigger here and um not just you know the youngest guy on the team anymore. Everybody kicks around. So um but no, yeah, I mean that record is is pretty cool to me. you know, I hold myself uh as a pretty physical player and it’s honestly pretty cool to to take that. I know there’s been a lot of names on this organization that um have been pretty physical to say the least. So, uh to break that’s pretty cool and hopefully I can break that next year as well. Have to imagine you were happy with your role in this the shootout as well. Yeah. No, I mean that’s something that I’ve it’s something little, but uh it’s something I’ve taken pride in since I was a little guy. And um yeah, I mean I’m I’m lucky enough in practices I made a couple. So I think Kefir threw me out early and in the first one and uh three for four this year. So yeah, I mean I’ll take it. So yeah, shout out to Daniel Moya of the Hockey Writers for mentioning that Paul Carter was very useful in shootouts because anytime the Devils entered a shootout situation, Paul Carter was always one of the go-tos. I’ll tell you guys a funny story. So I grew up in Michigan similar to Paul Carter. So we have a few mutual acquaintances and I’ve asked some of our mutual acquaintances like what was Paul Carter like growing up? like what was he like when he was playing with Little Caesars during his younger playing days? And they told me that Paul was really good with his mitts. He was like a wizard with the puck. Obviously, now that he’s gotten to the NHL, he’s kind of had to change and adapt his game a little bit more, but they said he was always a bit of a showoff when it came to using his mitts. And it it still works for him to this very day because like I said, he’s used in shootout situations and he was actually really good a lot of the times. So yeah, I would have to include him being used in a shootout was very useful. Now the big question is, was Paul Carter impactful? I would say yes. And I think Tom Fitzgerald, regardless of what you think of him, I think that’s a trade that he certainly nailed because the problem I I just said with Alexander Holtz was that he was too one-dimensional. Yes, he knew how to score, but he didn’t really know how to do much of anything else. Paul Carter, if he’s not scoring, he’s racking up the hits. He’s being physical. And we’ve talked about this before, the art of hitting a player where you lay a hit and the other player can try to get possession of the puck. It’s very important. And I think Paul Carter is one of the reasons why the Devils weren’t as soft as they were last year. When you look at hits per game by team, who was number one? The Stanley Cup champion Panthers. But who was number 10? It was the Devils. Paul Carter played a big part. He played an intricral role when it came to upping the Devil’s physicality a little bit more. I’d say him, Brendan Dylan, Curtis McDermott, they certainly weren’t afraid to throw their weight around anytime they did appear. I’m I’m referring to Curtis Mcder because he was a healthy scratch more times than not, but whenever he was in the game, you best believe you’re going to have to deal with one tough customer. But getting back to Paul Carter, he’s not onedimensional. He got off to a really hot start. Like seven of his 16 goals were scored early in the season. He kind of went on a lengthy slump though. From November 13th to December 27th, he had no goals. And towards the end of the season, he was actually a healthy scratch for one of those games because Sheldon Keith wanted him to hit the reset button, if you would. And it worked because Paul Carter contributed in the few games to close out the season. He was suspended the final two games because we know what happened in that matchup against the Islanders. It was a matinea affair at the at the Rock and it caused some controversy, but it didn’t really matter. Devils already clinched a playoff spot. Paul Carter gets some extra rest because I’m sure he had a lot of wear and tear on his body. But yeah, Paul Carter was certainly impactful. Wasn’t perfect and he has some other things to work out, which we’ll talk about momentarily. But I liked that trade made by Tom Fitzgerald. And I’ll admit it, I was wrong. Paul Carter was a decent bottom six player and knew how to not be soed one-dimensional. If the scoring wasn’t working, at least he was being physical. At least he was racking up the hits, which I I gotta give him credit for. Okay. What does Paul Carter need to work on in order to improve upon the season he had? He spoke about that at exit interviews. Here’s what he had to say. Is it your game that you like to work on heading into next season to improve upon? Uh everything. Um I think uh you know there’s some things there’s a lot of good a lot of good and obviously things to work on. Um I think for me it’s you can say consistency and and producing but it’s easier said than done. I just think that you know sometimes um I guess I’m a victim of it, other players are too, but you get in your head so much about not making a mistake that you don’t play hockey, right? And that’s not an I mean that’s not an excuse that you’re able to have because you got to go through that as a hockey player. But um I think just playing consistency consistently at my best and that’s you know coming out with being positive having confidence and um so just little battle that just make sure I’m playing my game every night. I think that’ll uh that’ll help me once I’m playing my game do a pretty good job. Honestly I think Paul Carter had a pretty good year. here. I know he’s being a little hard on himself and he’s a competitor obviously, but he was given a bigger role on the Devils compared to his previous stint with Vegas. And Vegas, they have a lot of great players. They won a Stanley Cup while he was there. He didn’t appear in any games, but he still has his name on the trophy. Paul Carter was given a role and right away he made an impact. I would say he had a careerhigh in goals. He was on pace to break his career high in points, but obviously he hit too many cold slumps. He broke the franchise record for most hits in a in a single season by a devil. And look, the one of the biggest issues for the Devils was that people were saying that they they were too soft and he fixed that a little bit. He played a big role in it. He does need to work on consistency. He is absolutely right because that’s what got him in trouble in Vegas. But in terms of him being a fourthline player down the road, I think he was actually really good. And if you would have told me that he would score 16 goals at the beginning of last season, I’d be like, “Oh, that’s actually pretty good.” Now, here’s the thing. He needs to spread out that scoring a little bit more. You can’t just score most of your goals early in the season and then put put up nothing but goose eggs. the rest of the way. I I talked to Chico Rash about it and he told me, Trey, it’s nice that Paul Carter can rack up a lot of hits, but that can easily be replaced. He needs to put up some more points. He needs to put up more goals. That’s what he needs to do. And he is right. And I think Paul Carter would tell you that Chico was right as well. Paul Carter, he brought a lot of excitement. He’s capable of playing different roles up front. He has pushed his way into the NHL thanks to his combination of speed and size along with a good scoring touch. He has learned to move without the puck to put himself in scoring position. Stephen did tell me that one of the things they’re working on with Carter is decision making. He said that early on in the season and I think he’s taken some of those lessons to heart. It it could enable him to play a higher up in the lineup, but I don’t think the Devils want him on the top six. I think they’re perfectly content with him being a fourthline player. Move him up to the third line if needed. He’s willing to use his body and finish checks and his offensive skills should continue to improve as he approaches his prime. He’s a first style scoring forward and he’s not one-dimensional similar to Alexander Holtz. So, I’m actually quite satisfied with Carter’s impact this past season for Devils and I think he’s going to continue to improve. And he took an opportunity from the Devils. He ran with it. It could have been better, could have been worse, but for the most part, I think he was an upgrade over Alexander Holtz. I think anybody would tell you that. Let me know your thoughts down below if you’re watching on YouTube. What did you think of the schedule when it was first released? What are some of your praises for it? What are some of your complaints? And what did you think of Paul Carter’s 2024 2025 season? I’m curious to hear your thoughts. Once again, leave a comment down below. If you’re watching on YouTube, if you’re listening on podcast streaming service, hit me up on my personal Xpage app at tramat4 or the show is Xpage app lockdowns. As for today’s episode, that’s all the time I have for you. Continue to stay safe. Have a wonderful day, New Jersey. Go Devils. I’ll catch you guys next episode. Thanks for listening once
Paul Cotter was acquired last offseason in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights. Many believed the Devils gave up too much to get him. Although he faced some struggles at times, he was impactful this season for the New Jersey Devils. I also shared my reactions to the 2025-26 NHL schedule. The Devils will only face their dreaded rival three times this upcoming season.
Interview soundbite: Paul Cotter
0:00 Devils 2025-26 schedule
12:17 Paul Cotter’s 2025-26 season
21:21 What does Cotter need to work on?
Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LODevils?sid=YouTube
Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL
Subscribe to Locked On Devils!
Follow me on the “X” app: @treymatt4
Follow the show on the “X” app: @LockedOnDevils
Listen to Locked On Devils: https://linktr.ee/LockedOnDevils
For your next listen, check out the Locked On NHL podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Monarch Money: Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.
Wonderful Pistachios: Get snackin’ and get crackin’ with the snack that packs a protein punch. Visit WonderfulPistachios.com to learn more!
Gametime: Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.
FanDuel: Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4k: Did you know your Fire TV is also an Xbox? Turn any TV into your gaming and entertainment hub with Fire TV Stick 4K devices — no console required. Head to Amazon.com/firetvlockedon to get started. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and compatible controller required.
Upwork: Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free. With Upwork, you can find specialized freelancers in marketing, development, design, and more—experts ready to help you take your business to the next level.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
Thumbnail credit: USA TODAY
#NewJerseyDevils #Devils #NHL #PaulCotter