The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed free agent forward, Nick Paul, to a seven-year contract worth around $21 million, or about $3 million per season. This contract carries him through the 2029-30 season.
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Nick Paul Signs With the Lightning
Over his seven-year NHL career, Paul has played for the Ottawa Senators and the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has put up 34 goals and 46 assists for 80 career points in 248 career games. He was originally drafted in the fourth round, 101st overall of the 2013 NHL draft by the Dallas Stars. Paul was traded mid-season by Ottawa to Tampa Bay in exchange for Mathieu Joseph and a 2024 fourth-round pick. Despite moving teams mid-season and adjusting to a new team and system, Paul still had a career-high year in goals, assists, and points. This season Paul scored 16 goals and recorded 32 points. He is coming off a two-year, 1.35 million dollar deal.
What He Brings to the Table
The 27-year-old forward is a shut-down defensive forward. At six-foot-three-inches, he is not afraid to use his size to his advantage. He laid 81 hits during the regular season. Despite being a bigger player, Paul has good speed as well. With his speed, he is able to create some space and set up some scoring chances for his teammates. He is more of a playmaker than a scorer himself, but he is starting to find the offensive part of his game. In 22 games of the postseason with Tampa Bay, he scored five goals and recorded nine points.
Paul has some untapped potential in his offensive game. With the right tools, he could be a solid two-way forward. Additionally, Paul is a good presence in the locker room. His leadership qualities on and off the ice make him a valuable player to add to any team. It is anticipated that he continues to grow his game offensively and will be a big part of his team in the future.
