Paul Cotter Leaves Western Michigan, Signs In OHL

The rich have gotten richer today, as the London Knights have added another talented young NHL prospect to their roster. After recently receiving Evan Bouchard and Alex Formenton back from the NHL, the Knights have signed Paul Cotter after he recently left Western Michigan University. Cotter, a fourth round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights, will join a powerhouse OHL organization that looks poised to compete for the Memorial Cup again this season.

Still 18 years old for a few more days, Cotter was the 115th overall pick in June’s NHL Entry Draft. A star in US junior hockey for the Brookings Blizzard (NAHL) and Lincoln Stars (USHL) including a Rookie of the Year award in 2017, he played just eight games for Western Michigan this season and recorded a single point. He has now given up his college eligibility by signing in the CHL, which is considered a professional league due to the fact that some of the players already have NHL contracts. Mark Hunter, who reclaimed his position as General Manager of the Knights earlier this year, had this to say about Cotter’s decision:

We are very proud to have signed Paul and we eagerly welcome him to London. Paul is an NHL level talent who will be a strong addition to our lineup for the remainder of the season.  We look forward to his arrival in London and the excitement he will bring to Budweiser Gardens.

It’s hard to argue with any prospect’s decision to join the Knights, who have continually churned out NHL stars and have some of the strongest development coaches in junior hockey. The program has recently convinced 2018 first round pick Adam Boqvist to come over to North America, along with potential 2019 first round pick Matvei Guskov. Cotter will be joining an incredibly talented group, and should be given an opportunity to grow and develop his offensive upside before jumping to the professional ranks.