Yahoo Sports Lightning Hit Home Run Trading For Key Forward
The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Florida Panthers last night by a 4-0 final score. It was an impressive night for the Bolts, and they improved to a 19-11-2 record on the season.
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Lightning forward Nick Paul played a role in the win, as he recorded an assist on Mitchell Chafee's first-period goal that gave Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead.
With this assist, Paul now has five points over his last four games. In addition, he now has eight goals, 19 points, 23 hits, and a plus-4 rating in 26 games this season. This is after he set career highs with 24 goals, 22 assists, and 46 points in 82 games last campaign.
Paul has undoubtedly hit a new level with the Bolts. The 6-foot-3 forward has become a more significant offensive force while maintaining his solid defensive play in the process.
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With all of this, it is abundantly clear that the Lightning trade for Paul during the 2021-22 season has become a home run for them. They only traded forward Mathieu Joseph and a 2024 fourth-round pick to acquire him from the Ottawa Senators.
When looking at how important of a player Paul has become for the Bolts, this is a move they would make again in a heartbeat. This is especially so when noting that they were able to sign him to a seven-year, $22.05 million contract extension.
In 209 games since joining the Lightning, Paul has 54 goals, 111 points, and 277 hits.
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