When July 1 comes around, everyone thinks players can sign with whomever they want and can simply wait until they find their “dream” destination. However, it’s not all that simple.

In an interview with The Hockey News, new Vancouver Canucks forward Paul Cotter explained that the free agency process isn’t as glamorous as some make it out to be.

“I always thought, ‘Okay, you know where you want to go, and you have your choice,'” Cotter explained. “‘These are the teams that reach out; this place is the best; go there.’ It is pretty impossible to decide.”

Cotter signed a one-year deal with the Canucks on the opening day of free agency last month, inking a deal that will carry a cap hit of $2.15 million. It was the first time he’s ever experienced free agency in his NHL career, as he didn’t receive a qualifying offer from the New Jersey Devils back in June, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Cotter admitted that he was a little surprised that he didn’t receive an offer from the Devils’ new general manager, Sunny Mehta. “Talking to my agent…I didn’t really understand the whole situation and what needed to happen. I know my agent was shocked a little bit.”

He added that there were plenty of factors that were going through his mind before making a final decision to join the Canucks.

“It is like, ‘Okay, well, if I go here, I might have a little bit more opportunity, but is it the best place for me?’ It is a back-and-forth thing in your head that you, and whether you have a partner or not, go through, and ultimately you are making a leap of blind faith in a way, hoping it works out.”

After playing for teams such as the Devils and Vegas Golden Knights, Cotter joins a rebuilding team in Vancouver, where he’s expected to get ample opportunity to grow. After a pair of 20-point campaigns with both New Jersey and Vegas, the Western Michigan University product’s numbers dipped last season, scoring just nine goals and 15 points in 79 games.

Cotter admits he’s happy he chose to sign with the Canucks, especially since the organization seemed very interested in signing him from the start.

“Vancouver right away was one of the first teams that showed a large amount of interest,” Cotter said. “They saw my game where it was at and think that it could be really important there and be a big piece of the puzzle. The more that I looked into it, I am not going to be a younger guy or on the younger side of things, for once, which is different and cool. I can bring a little bit of a veteran presence. It looked like I was going to get the biggest opportunity there, so that is where we ended up.”

The Canton, Mich. native also noted that there were other teams that expressed interest in bringing him on board, which made his first free agency experience a little stressful.

“There was other interest that was hard to pass up. Teams that are great places to live and places that I have been, so it wasn’t the easiest process, but I am happy with how it worked out…Looking back, I am very happy with the decision, but in the moment, it is not easy.”

Cotter will get a chance to share the ice with some talented players as the Canucks try to steadily improve after a disastrous 2025-26 season, which saw them finish with the worst record in the NHL. Along with veterans such as Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, Brendan Gallagher and Elias Pettersson, Cotter might see some playing time with a fellow Bronco – Max Sasson.

In 296 regular-season games in his NHL career, Cotter has posted 47 goals and 35 assists for 82 points. He posted one assist in five playoff games with the Devils in 2025.