Cedric Paquette and the Tampa Bay Lightning have agreed to a two-year contract. The deal is worth $3.3 million and carries a $1.65 million average annual value.
Cedric Paquette Re-Signs with Lightning
#tblightning and RFA center Cedric Paquette have agreed on a two-year deal with a $1.65 million AAV, per source. Today is deadline for eligible RFAs to file for arbitration. With Paquette and Martel done, Erne, Verhaeghe still to go for TB.
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) July 5, 2019
The Lightning finalized a two-year contract with Cedric Paquette, ensuring another one of their roster spots will be filled for next season. The 2018-19 campaign marked a career-high for games played after Paquette finally hit the 80 game mark. The forward only missed one regular season game due to injury and a second as a healthy scratch.
After 80 games, Paquette collected 13 goals and four assists for 17 points. He dressed for all four of the Lightning’s postseason games this year. He tallied a lone point before the Colombus Blue Jackets swept the team.
Paquette has spent his entire NHL career with Tampa Bay. The organization drafted him with the 10th pick in the fourth round of the 2012 NHL draft, 101st overall. In 316 games, he’s tallied 40 goals and 27 assists for 67 points. Paquette has competed in 66 playoff games with the Lightning, garnering five goals and four assists for nine points.
What This Means for the Future
Cedric Paquette is a solid fourth line center for the team. He brings a level of physicality to the team that is much needed. The center often finds himself in the penalty box. If he can find a way to stop taking bad penalties, the team can benefit more from the value he adds when they’re short-handed.
Tampa Bay is feeling the pressure of the cap ceiling bearing down on them. They have a handful of restricted free agents remaining on their summer to-do list. Perhaps most notably, the Bolts still need to lock down star center Brayden Point, which won’t come cheap. This keeps the possibility on deck for the team to opt to trade Paquette and relieve some of that pressure.
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