GAME WINNER FROM DJ PAULY C
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3 Canucks Stars of the Week: Paul Cotter, OT hero
Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2026, 16:02 EDT
Welcome back to Stars of the Week at Daily Faceoff Vancouver! Every week, we’ll be bringing you our Top Three best and brightest performers on the Vancouver Canucks that week. Disagree with our picks or have your own stars to nominate? Let us know in the comments below!
The Canucks are back for another season, along with promises that things will be better for the team this year. There have been a whole lot of promises from the Canucks in recent years and not much delivery. So, why should this season be any different?
During week one of the team’s first full season of the rebuild era, it has become clear that this is not remotely the same team that ended the year last spring. The legendary Joni Mitchell once said, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone,” which speaks beautifully to the human destruction of natural beauty. In the case of the Canucks, though, what’s gone was actually a full-on nightmare, and it’s a miracle it’s in the past. Many fans did not understand just how bad things had gotten for this team, morale-wise, vibes-wise, until they encountered this year’s team that can actually experience joy again. It’s almost surreal. What does a Canucks team look like with complete turnover in the front office and behind the bench, and a locker room that no longer feels like a tense family dinner table mid-divorce? Pretty decent, as it turns out.
It is the start of the season, and so many players, even in just a handful of games so far, deserve their flowers. Kevin Lankinen has been a mixed bag but already has a few highlight-reel saves; Liam Öhgren is looking fantastic; DPetey is quickly becoming one of the most exciting defencemen to watch; EP40 is showing flashes of his vintage self; Luke Schenn is back and dropping the gloves to defend all 22 of his sons. For once, there are too many positive things to say about so many members of this roster.
Some of this optimism is early-season excitement, sure. There will be guaranteed low points in the year where the play is less than sublime – Manny Malhotra is a breath of fresh air as a first-time NHL coach, not a miracle worker. But this is a rebuild. Even the losses are wins if they are games played in good faith rather than zero-effort humiliation rituals. Rogers Arena sounds louder than it has in nearly two years. The team truly seem to be playing for each other again. That’s a great place to start.
All that said, only three players can take home star of the week honours. Let’s dive in.
Paul Cotter
Paul Cotter is the first Canucks star of the week. I know, I’m surprised too.
Cotter signed a one-year deal with the Canucks when he hit free agency at a very reasonable $2.15 million. He comes to Vancouver from the New Jersey Devils, where fans apparently dubbed him DJ Pauly C.
So, we know he’s got a great set of hands in one area. Does that translate to the ice? It just might.
Cotter was fully expected to fulfill the kind of depth forward role he’s had in his career to date. Then, he scored the Canucks’ first goal of the year – shorthanded, at that – against the Oilers, and won the game in overtime for Vancouver. On Saturday night, he saw time on the power play, subbing in for an ill Jake DeBrusk, and netted a power play goal off a rocket of a shot from Filip Hronek.
Paul Cotter goal in his 300th game!
The best part, of course, is that Vegas is the team that drafted Cotter in 2018, and where he technically won the Stanley Cup, despite the fact that he did not appear in their 2023 postseason. Cotter scored this power play goal on his old team in his 300th career game. Cotter seems like he leads with a positive attitude, but even the rosiest of players deserve to thrive off a little pettiness, as a treat.
Through four games, Cotter has six points (4G, 2A) and is already averaging more ice time than he ever did in New Jersey – or Vegas, for that matter. Malhotra is trusting him in ways his previous teams did not, and, to Cotter’s credit, he is not squandering the opportunity.
What is perhaps the most important fact here is that Cotter truly wants to be in Vancouver. He has spoken highly of the Canucks locker room, which is the first time this has happened in years, perhaps eons, and describes the team dynamic as “Awesome,” “[A] really great group,” and “Egoless.” Words cannot describe how strange and encouraging it is to hear that. The dog days are over, my friends.
Paul Cotter coming out swinging this year is like finding out one of your Beatles songs is a Ringo Starr song. In theory, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it; you just weren’t expecting it, that’s all.
Leevi Meriläinen
Hats off to the newest Canuck this week. Meriläinen, still just 24, is everything you could want in a baby goalie: sharp but still has a malleable game, and is truly just happy to be here. That’s the spirit!
Meriläinen was claimed off waivers from the Ottawa Senators a little over one week ago, on September 25. He got his first taste of regular-season action with the Canucks when Kevin Lankinen was mercifully pulled after the Oilers had an 8-2 lead during Vancouver’s home opener. The Canucks had embarrassed the Oilers on their own home turf the day before, winning in overtime, so it’s only fair this became a Pacific Division tit-for-tat situation. Vancouver managed to stage a decent comeback; Meriläinen was solid in net despite coming in during what was, objectively, an intimidating situation. Vancouver’s home opener, eight goals in the hole, and the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl coming at you at full speed. Ultimately, Meriläinen stopped 10 of 11 shots and only let one medium-danger chance past.
Meriläinen made his first official start against the Calgary Flames with an impressive 23 out of 24 saves in the 4-1 win – one full goal above expected. Per Natural Stat Trick, Meriläinen only allowed one medium-danger shot, which was also on the Flames’ power play, and stopped all high-danger chances that came his way. Not bad for a guy who has been with the team for less than ten days. Talk about on-the-job training.
Leevi Meriläinen honours John Garrett with his new @Canucks mask 🖤
In Meriläinen’s best show of character so far, he’s included a tribute to John Garrett on his new mask design. It’s a touching gesture, but also a sign of genuine respect for the city he is new to. Meriläinen is clearly aware of what Cheech meant to the Vancouver Canucks and proudly wears that legacy. Well, I’ve seen enough. Re-sign that young man; he’s in the family now.
Max Sasson
Amongst everything to enjoy about the Canucks this week, Sasson has been slightly understated and an absolute gem, as always.
Sasson and Cotter have become a bit of a duo on and off the ice, which began when they were linemates for Team USA at this year’s World Championships. Early signs of their chemistry were seen in overtime against the Oilers, when the two of them were hot on Edmonton’s heels like they owed them money. Truthfully, Sasson was fantastic throughout Edmonton’s opening night, which is great news for him, less so for the Oilers.
MAX. SASSON. THE CANUCKS ARE BUZZING 🗣️
“He is my dog, that’s my guy man.” #Canucks forward Paul Cotter talks about Max Sasson and playing together in OT on Tuesday night.
In the first game of the season, Sasson was tasked with containing Connor McDavid, which, to some, might seem like asking one of the kids from Jurassic Park to contain a pterodactyl by themselves. But they don’t know the real Max Sasson. Defensive matchup extraordinaire…apparently? Sasson made it look like any other casual Tuesday – confident and effortless.
Sasson has firmly played down the middle on the third line thus far, either with Linus Karlsson and Drew O’Connor, or with Arshdeep Bains and Jonathan Lekkerimäki, and both lines have worked to an almost surprising degree. While Sasson looked just fine on the wing last season, he’s too solid a defensive player to keep off centre for long, and he does a lot to anchor his line no matter who his wingers are. His weakness, still, continues to be in the faceoff dot – he’s won just 12 out of 39 faceoffs so far – but if he can keep up the smothering play that held McDavid and co. at bay, he’s got a better chance at staying put for now.
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Breaking News
- 3 Canucks Stars of the Week: Paul Cotter, OT hero
- NHL Notebook: Edvinsson ‘would prefer’ a trade out of Detroit, Ovechkin retiring after 2025-26, and more
- Canucks’ Paul Cotter named NHL’s third star of week
- JPat’s Monday Mailbag: Can the Canucks push this pace of play for 84 games?
- The Statsies: Jonathan Lekkerimäki leads Canucks in xGF% in loss to Golden Knights
Vancouver CanucksTeam Cap Summary
Cap Summary
2026-27
2027-28
Projected Cap Hit
$88,074,947
$71,329,167
Projected Cap Space
$15,925,053
$42,170,833
Current Cap Space
$16,346,351
$42,170,833
Active Players
23/23
13/23
Draft Picks
Round
'27
'28
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1
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2
2
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