It is expected that 34-year-old Paul Gaustad will announce his retirement “in the next couple of weeks,” according to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. It appears that after eleven seasons in the NHL, the Fargo-native will hang up the skates after he and the Nashville Predators parted ways.
A Retrospective Look at Paul Gaustad’s Career
Gaustad spent the final four and a half seasons of his career as a member of the Nashville Predators. He was traded from the Buffalo Sabres along with a 2013 fourth-round draft pick during the 2011-12 season, during the trade deadline frenzy, for a 2012 first-round pick. That pick would later be packaged with a 2012 second-round pick in order to move up in the draft, where they would select forward Zemgus Girgensons at 14th overall.
Originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 7th round, 200th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Gaustad became a household name in Buffalo for his strong defensive play and ability to win face-offs. Despite not being known for his offensive awareness, Gaustad was still able to contribute on the scoreboard by hitting at least 20 points in each full season he appeared in with the Sabres. Gaustad also scored ten or more goals in his final four full seasons with Buffalo, and scored nine in his first two seasons.
Gaustad was also quite the physical specimen. Standing at 6’5″ and weighing well over 200 pounds, the Fargo native threw around his weight in order to win battles in corners and also wasn’t afraid to drop the gloves. In six full seasons with the Sabres, he fought 26 times, while appearing in 15 fights during his tenure with the Predators. The rugged forward even dropped the mitts in two fights during postseason action. He also used his large frame to screen goaltenders while standing in front of the net.
Leading up to the trade deadline in 2012, General Manager David Poile was looking to add some depth and achieved that by adding former Montreal Canadiens forward Andrei Kostitsyn and defenseman Hal Gill, along with Gaustad, to give the Predators a legitimate shot at competing for the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, they were defeated in the second round that year, by the Arizona Coyotes.
Paul Gaustad’s best chance at ending on a high note came last season, when the Predators were edged out by the San Jose Sharks, in the Western Conference semifinals. Gaustad contributed just one goal in 14 games during that stretch, averaging 11:41 of ice-time and winning 59.4% of his face-offs.
His popularity went further than just what he did on the ice, as his charitable contributions in both Buffalo and Nashville captured the hearts of both fan-bases. After Danny Briere‘s departure from Buffalo following the 2006-07 season, his role as spokesperson for Camp Good Days was relinquished and taken over by Gaustad. The fan favorite would sell $25 autographed baseball caps with all of the proceeds going towards charity. A gesture he would later repeat in Nashville, as part of their Predators Foundation.
If this is indeed the end of Gaustad’s career in hockey, it may have not concluded with a Stanley Cup ring but it surely showcased a player who was likely never supposed to make it in the first place, enjoying over a decade in the league and establishing a reputation that won’t soon be forgotten.
Main Photo:
