TAMPA, Fla. — The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning made another trade on the eve of the deadline aimed at becoming the NHL’s first team to win three in a row since the 1980s.
The Lightning acquired forward Nick Paul from the Ottawa Senators Sunday night for Mathieu Joseph and a 2024 fourth-round pick. The cap-strapped Lightning upgraded again upfront thanks to Ottawa retaining 44.5% of Paul’s salary for the remainder of the season.
Tampa Bay received Paul two days after acquiring forward Brandon Hagel from Chicago for multiple first-round picks and players and in the aftermath of major movement around the Eastern Conference.
Traded on his 27th birthday, Paul brings more size to the Lightning at 6-foot-3 and 224 pounds. He has 11 goals and eight assists this season with Ottawa.
Paul's career stats are also impressive having skated in 227 career NHL games, all with the Senators, recording 29 goals and 66 points. The forward also helped Team Canada win the gold medal at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships, scoring three of the game's seven goals.
Following the trade, the Bolts posted a tribute to Joseph on Twitter.
"You’ll be missed here in Tampa, @MathJoseph7. Best of luck in Ottawa!" The team wrote.
