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NHL: Nick Paul signed for seven years with the Tampa Bay Lightning

NHL: Nick Paul signed for seven years with the Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa, Florida. – Tampa Bay Lightning tackled one of its priorities this off-season, the front coil Nick Paul.

The club signed him to a seven-year contract worth just over $22 million.

General manager Julian Presboa announced the agreement on Friday, three days after saying the club were interested in retaining the services of Paul and two other important free agents, striker Ondrej Balat and defender Jan Ruta.

Paul joined Lightning in a deal from senators in Ottawa in March. The 27-year-old has played multiple roles, helping Lightning reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the third year in a row.

The Colorado Avalanche hampered Lightning’s bid for a third consecutive title, capturing the Stanley Cup in six games.

Paul, who is averaging $3.15 million under his new contract, scored five goals and four assists in his debut in the playoffs. He held various roles while Brayden Point was sidelined due to a quadriceps muscle injury for most of his 23 playoff games.

Paul played 21 regular season games with the Lightning, scoring five goals and nine assists. He played his first playoff game against the Toronto Maple Leafs and scored his first two goals there in a 2-1 win over Lightning in Game 7 of the first round series.

Paul, who earned $1.35 million last season, also scored two goals against avalanche in the final.

A fourth-round pick by the Dallas Stars in 2013, Paul spent seven seasons with the Senators before being traded to the Florida Club for Matthew Joseph and a fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft.

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He appeared in a total of 80 games with the Lightning and Senators, scoring game-highs, goals (16), assists (16) and points (32). He has 34 goals and 80 points in 248 games since his debut in the National Hockey League in February 2016.