Senators prospect Nick Paul makes strong impression in Team Canada exhibition opener

MONTREAL — Buoyed by playing into May, Nick Paul has put himself right on Team Canada's radar.

The 19-year-old who was part of the Ottawa Senators' return in the Jason Spezza trade — moved to the NHL team in the nation's capital on Canada Day, yeah, that's right — made a strong impression during Canada's 6-2 exhibition win over the Czech Republic on Tuesday at Ed Meagher Arena. In a penalty-filled game (""that's summer hockey," coach Benoît Groulx surmised), the line of Paul flanking Toronto Maple Leafs first-rounder Frédérik Gauthier shone in penalty-killing duty and frequently took away the Czechs' time and space. Paul, not typically a big-time scorer, also tallied in the third period.

It all stems back to Paul having helped his North Bay Battalion win their conference in the OHL this spring. Groulx, tasked with ending Canada's half-decade gold-medal drought, is hoping

"I've been driving the puck more and been calmer with the puck," said Paul, who was passed over in the OHL priority selection draft three years ago but emerged as a two-way wing after breaking in with the Battalion in 2012-13. "I'm a little more comfortable with the puck and I see that carrying over here [at Canada's camp this week]. I'm not making dumb plays with the puck and I'm not holding on it. I'm relaxed with it and my nerves aren't getting the best of me.

"The playoff run helped so much," added Paul, who had a 26-goal, 46-point regular season last winter and tallied a dozen times in 22 OHL post-season games on a team that spread out its scoring. "Playoffs were all about getting that confidence, that little extra boost. Once I found that and my teammates found that everyone played better, we got the chemistry. It really helped me with having the confidence to go to the net and shoot the puck more."

That improved poise with the puck, married with Paul's ability to utilize his 6-foot-3, 199-pound frame, makes him an intriguing possibility for the December camp. He is vying to match former London Knights wing Josh Anderson's feat of going from being ignored in the OHL draft to wearing the Maple Leaf at Christmastime as a 19-year-old.

"It's just a honour wearing that jersey right now," Paul said.

The first exhibition game is merely one data point. Groulx, however, has stated he's less focused on each hopeful's NHL projections than he is on the indefinable quality to react and be resilient in back-to-the-wall situations. That's hard to define, of course.

"I thought they were good, both he and Freddy," Groulx said of Paul. "It's the first time I've seen Nick Paul play. He impressed me with his skill level and his tenacity out there — the way he reads the play. Overall, those are only two guys. I thought many of our guys had a good game tonight and that is a positive."

Becoming a prospect of a Canadian-based team has also meant Paul, for the second summer in a row, had the thrill of knowing he has piqued a NHL organization's him. He'll remember July 1 for a long time.

"It was amazing," Paul, whose OHL team has not been represented on Team Canada since Cody Hodgson was a catalyst for the gold medal-winning 2009 team, recalled of learning he was in the Spezza deal. "I was in my business doing a little workout and then made breakfast and got a call from my agent telling me about in the trade. Everyone in Ottawa made me feel comfortable right away."

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.