The Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning have executed another trade.
Forward Nick Paul is headed north of the border in exchange for goalie Dennis Hildeby, a 2027 fourth-round draft pick and a 2028 third-rounder, the teams announced on Wednesday.
Paul, of Mississauga, Ont., returns home after four and a half seasons with the Lightning. He had a successful run with the Bolts, registering a pair of 20-plus goal seasons (including a career-high 24 in 2023-24) and surpassing 40 points twice. He came up clutch in the post-season, too — as Leafs fans may remember, he scored twice against Toronto to clinch Tampa Bay's first-round victory in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. While he never won the Cup with the Lightning, he did help get them to a third Cup Final that year — his first-ever playoff run, after spending the first seven years of his career in Ottawa. His production dipped amid injury last season when he tallied just seven goals and eight assists over 51 games.
Bringing in Paul, 27, via trade is a solid move by Maple Leafs GM John Chayka. With three more years on his contract at a $3.15-million AAV, he should bring affordable depth scoring to a roster undergoing a big off-season of change.
That Hildeby is part of the return going to Tampa Bay furthers that change. Hildeby, 24, became expendable earlier Wednesday when the Maple Leafs signed Sergei Bobrovsky. The Swedish netminder posted a .914 save percentage and 2.80 goals-against average in 20 games with the Leafs last season.
Earlier this off-season, the Maple Leafs and Lightning got together on a sign-and-trade for defenceman Darren Raddysh.
