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Sens and Paul Talks Fall Apart: Traded to Tampa Bay for Joseph and Pick
Talks between Nick Paul and the Ottawa Senators have reportedly broken down and a trade is likely. There are three or four teams interested.
As per TSN’s Darren Dreger, Ottawa Senators’ forward Nick Paul has been traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. In return, the Senators are getting Mathieu Joseph and a Tampa Bay 4th-round pick.
Contract negotiations between the Ottawa Senators and forward Nick Paul had fallen apart and the pending UFA was almost surely going to be traded before Monday’s NHL Trade Deadline.
Related: Senators Acquire Travis Hamonic from Canucks for a 2022 3rd-Round Pick
Dreger noted during the latest Insider Trading segment that Paul’s preference was to extend in Ottawa but the two sides could not get a deal worked out… “it sure sounds likely that he’s going to hit the market” said the NHL insider. Among the teams reportedly showing interest, the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers and perhaps the Boston Bruins lead the way. The Lightning were not in that group, but should anyone be surprised they snuck in there and made a deal? The Senators retain 44.5 percent of Paul’s contract.
Paul will be a nice depth addition for the Stanley Cup contenders. He’s a sound two-way player who has the ability to add some depth scoring. He’s reliable, physical, and can play multiple roles. The Senators get Joseph in the trade and that’s a big get for a rebuilding club. Joseph is the centerpiece to this trade. Joseph is a good defensive forward and decent penalty killer. He’ll get a lot more ice time in Ottawa and has the potential to produce more on a less skilled team.
Tampa Beats Out a Few Teams
TSN’s Chris Johnston noted that along with the Rangers and Oilers: ”He’s someone I believe Colorado has had an interest in.” Johnston adds, “…I also think Nick Paul is willing to sign an extension if he gets dealt.” He didn’t have the Lightning in there either.
Whether the Lightning sees him as just a rental or not is unclear. The ask from Paul’s side is apparently four years at $3 million per season. That’s not terribly unreasonable and a team might be interested in him at that price.
Next: Latest Canucks Trade Deadline Talk: Dermott, Miller, Boeser, Schenn
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