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Nick Paul

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For the Trinidadian cyclist, see Nicholas Paul.
Nick Paul
Paul with the Binghamton Senators
Born (1995-03-20) March 20, 1995 (age 29)
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 223 lb (101 kg; 15 st 13 lb)
Position Centre / left wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Tampa Bay Lightning
Ottawa Senators
National team  Canada
NHL draft 101st overall, 2013
Dallas Stars
Playing career 2015–present

Nicholas Paul (born March 20, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). A left winger, he was selected by the Dallas Stars in the fourth round, 101st overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Early life

Paul was born on March 20, 1995, in Mississauga, Ontario,[1] to parents Ellwood and Melinda. He holds dual citizenship between Canada and the United States due to his mother being an American citizen.[2] Growing up, his father and half brother Christopher built a backyard rink for Paul and his older brother Jesse to use for practice.[3] As a youth, Paul was friends with Max Domi and attended Toronto Maple Leafs games with him.[4]

Playing career

Junior

While growing up in Mississauga, Paul played minor midget hockey for the Mississauga Chargers of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL). During his 2011–12 season with the Chargers, Paul scored three goals and two assists for five points.[5] While standing at only 5-foot-6 during his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) draft eligibility year, Paul tallied four goals and 25 points in 37 games.[6] Despite failing to be drafted into the OHL in his first year of eligibility, Paul was later selected by the Brampton Battalion, (later the North Bay Battalion) as an overaged player.[7] After his first season with the Battalion, where he scored 12 goals and 28 points, Paul was selected 101st overall by the Dallas Stars in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.[5]

Following the draft, Paul returned to the Battalion and continued his scoring prowess. By October 14, Paul led the team with five goals in eleven games.[8] This continued throughout the season as he accumulated 37 goals and 29 assists through 58 regular-season games under coach Stan Butler.[9] As such, he helped lead the team to the OHL's Eastern Conference Finals against the Oshawa Generals. Throughout the post-season, Paul maintained a four-game goal scoring streak and was tied for second in goal scoring with nine through 15 games.[10] Following the playoffs, Paul's NHL rights were traded by the Stars on July 1, 2014, along with Alex Chiasson, Alex Guptill, and a 2015 second-round pick, to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Jason Spezza and Ludwig Karlsson.[11]

Paul re-joined the Battalion for his final season in the OHL during the 2014–15 season. By December, he had accumulated 19 goals and 34 points through 27 regular-season games and subsequently signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Senators on December 20, 2014.[12] Upon joining the Senators for their 2015 development camp, he measured at 6-4 and 225 pounds.[9]

Professional

Ottawa Senators

Paul signed with Ottawa and made his professional debut with their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Binghamton Senators in the 2014–15 season. He finished with six goals and 11 assists in 45 games with Binghamton. Paul was assigned to Binghamton by Ottawa for the 2015–16 season also. Paul was called up in February 2016 and made his NHL debut on February 16, 2016, against the Buffalo Sabres.[13] He recorded his first career NHL goal on February 24, 2016, in a 4–1 win over the Edmonton Oilers.[14]

On July 16, 2018, Paul signed a one-year contract extension with the Senators.[15] On July 2, 2019, Paul re-signed with the Senators for another season.[16] Paul struggled to break into Ottawa's lineup under coach Guy Boucher.[17] At the end of the 2019 training camp, Paul was placed on waivers but went unclaimed and was assigned to the Senators AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators.[18] Paul became a regular NHL player during the 2019–20 season, setting a new high in games played in the NHL with 56.[19] After Erik Gudbranson was traded away by the Senators during the 2020–21 season, Paul was named an alternate captain. That season Paul established himself as one of the team's top penalty killers. Paul was named the Senators' nominee for the NHL's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy at the end of the season.[18] During the 2021–22 season, Paul was used all over the lineup by coach D. J. Smith, slotting in wherever the coach needed a hole in the lineup filled. However, contract negotiations stalled with the Senators and Paul was made available for a trade by the organization.[20]

Tampa Bay Lightning

On March 20, 2022, just a day before the trade deadline, Paul was traded by Ottawa to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Mathieu Joseph and a 2024 fourth-round draft pick.[21] He scored his first goal as a Lightning on March 22 versus the Carolina Hurricanes.[22] Paul made his Stanley Cup playoff debut in the first round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.[22] In the seventh game of series against the Maple Leafs, Paul scored his first two playoff goals, including the series winner.[23] Paul helped the Lightning advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for their third successive season[24] and contributed with 5 goals and 9 points through 23 games before losing to the Colorado Avalanche.[25]

On July 1, 2022, Paul opted to forego free-agency in agreeing to a seven-year, $22.05 million contract extension to remain with the Lightning.[26] Paul helped the Lightning to the playoffs again during the 2022–23 season. They faced the Maple Leafs in the first round again and with Toronto leading the series 3–1 and the Lightning facing elimination in Game 5, Paul scored the game-winning goal to keep the Lightning in the series.[27] However, the Maple Leafs eliminated the Lightning in the following game.[28]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2015 Canada
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2021 Latvia

Paul made his international debut for Canada with the national junior team at the 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He finished the tournament with three goals in seven games to help Canada win a gold medal.[29]

Paul was chosen to represent Team Canada again at the senior level for the 2021 IIHF World Championship. Paul scored at 6:26 of the first overtime in the gold medal game against Finland to give Canada its 21st all-time gold medal.[30]

Following the Tampa Bay Lightning's ouster in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, Paul again joined Team Canada for the 2024 IIHF World Championship.[31]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011–12 Mississauga Chargers OJHL 9 3 2 5 4 — — — — —
2012–13 Brampton Battalion OHL 66 12 16 28 21 5 0 1 1 0
2013–14 North Bay Battalion OHL 67 26 20 46 39 22 12 6 18 10
2014–15 North Bay Battalion OHL 58 37 29 66 49 15 7 8 15 6
2015–16 Binghamton Senators AHL 45 6 11 17 10 — — — — —
2015–16 Ottawa Senators NHL 24 2 3 5 6 — — — — —
2016–17 Binghamton Senators AHL 72 15 22 37 30 — — — — —
2016–17 Ottawa Senators NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2017–18 Belleville Senators AHL 54 14 13 27 40 — — — — —
2017–18 Ottawa Senators NHL 11 1 0 1 0 — — — — —
2018–19 Belleville Senators AHL 43 16 23 39 29 — — — — —
2018–19 Ottawa Senators NHL 20 1 1 2 4 — — — — —
2019–20 Ottawa Senators NHL 56 9 11 20 24 — — — — —
2019–20 Belleville Senators AHL 3 1 3 4 0 — — — — —
2020–21 Ottawa Senators NHL 56 5 15 20 19 — — — — —
2021–22 Ottawa Senators NHL 59 11 7 18 22 — — — — —
2021–22 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 21 5 9 14 17 23 5 4 9 6
2022–23 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 80 17 15 32 33 6 1 0 1 2
2023–24 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 82 24 22 46 27 5 2 0 2 6
NHL totals 410 75 83 158 152 34 8 4 12 14

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
2015 Canada WJC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 7 3 0 3 2
2021 Canada WC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 10 2 2 4 4
2024 Canada WC 4th 10 3 3 6 4
Junior totals 7 3 0 3 2
Senior totals 20 5 5 10 8

References

  1. ^ "Nick Paul". Elite Prospects. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  2. ^ "North Bay Applauds Gold Medalist Paul". Our Sports Central. January 16, 2015. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  3. ^ Brennan, Don (July 2, 2014). "Ottawa Senators bigger, but does it mean better?". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  4. ^ "One On One With Sens Left Winger Nick Paul". FACES Magazine. October 5, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Dallas selects Paul with fourth-rounder". Brantford Battalion. June 30, 2013. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  6. ^ Salvain, Hailey (December 16, 2019). "'I'm here. I'm good enough': Inside the rise of the Senators' Nick Paul". The Athletic. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  7. ^ Mendes, Ian (May 11, 2021). "How meditation and positivity helped Senators' Nick Paul become a Masterton Trophy nominee". The Athletic. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  8. ^ Stepneski, Mark (October 14, 2014). "Prospect Report". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Senators prospect Paul gaining his 'man strength'". National Hockey League. July 3, 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  10. ^ Stepneski, Mark (April 21, 2014). "Prospect Report". National Hockey League. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  11. ^ "Senators trade captain Jason Spezza to Dallas Stars". National Hockey League. July 1, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  12. ^ "News Release: Senators sign forward Nick Paul to an entry-level contract". National Hockey League. December 20, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  13. ^ "Senators edge Sabres in 2-1 shootout win". CBS Sports. February 16, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  14. ^ Colpitts, Iain (February 24, 2016). "Nick Paul nets first NHL goal". mississauga.com. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  15. ^ "Senators sign forward Nick Paul to a one-year deal". Sportsnet. July 16, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  16. ^ "Senators sign forward Nick Paul to a one-year, two-way contract" (Press release). Ottawa Senators. July 2, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019 – via nhl.com.
  17. ^ Clipperton, Joshua (September 4, 2019). "Senators' Nick Paul says this is 'make-or-break year' for him in NHL". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Warren, Ken (May 10, 2021). "Senators Masterton nominee Nick Paul finds his niche after years of battles to stay in the NHL". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  19. ^ "Former Battalion star Nick Paul gets NHL award nomination". baytoday.ca. May 11, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  20. ^ Garrioch, Bruce (March 18, 2022). "Snapshots: Nick Paul a healthy scratch and expected to be moved by Senators". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  21. ^ "Senators trade Paul to Lightning for Joseph, fourth-round pick". Sportsnet. March 20, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  22. ^ a b Encina, Eduardo A. (April 2, 2022). "Lightning forward Nick Paul's path of perseverance to his first playoff run". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  23. ^ Shilton, Kristen (May 14, 2022). "Unheralded Nick Paul steals show in Game 7 as Tampa Bay Lightning eliminate Toronto Maple Leafs". Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  24. ^ Goodall, Fred (July 1, 2022). "Lightning retain Nick Paul with 7-year, $22 million contract". AP News. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  25. ^ "Nick Paul, Lightning agree to seven-year, $22.05M contract extension". Sportsnet. July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  26. ^ "Lightning sign Nick Paul to a seven-year contract extension". Tampa Bay Lightning. July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  27. ^ Knight, Joey (April 27, 2023). "Lightning-Maple Leafs breakdown, survive-and-advance edition". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  28. ^ "Maple Leafs eliminate Lightning in Game 6 for first playoff series win since 2004". Sportsnet. The Canadian Press. April 29, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  29. ^ Colpitts, Iain (January 8, 2015). "Dream comes true for Paul at World Juniors". Mississauga News. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  30. ^ Podnieks, Andrew (June 6, 2021). "Canada wins "little miracle" gold". IIHF.com. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  31. ^ DeRosa, Michael (May 7, 2024). "Looking at Team Canada's Decision to Swap Celebrini and Fantilli for Dubois, Hagel and Paul". The Hockey News. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
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