Nick Paul

TORONTO — Before Game 5 of the Lightning's first-round series against Toronto, forward Nick Paul was one of the only players on the ice for the team's ...

Both Corey Perry and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare took less money last offseason to fit in under the cap and play for a Cup. Ultimately, as long as he is a bottom-six forward, his importance lies in playing a heavy game and doing well on the forecheck, but Paul clearly has tools that provide needed flexibility to the bottom two lines. Even though Palat went through a stretch of 28 games without a goal, he ended the season with 18 goals, his most since his first full season in the league in 2013-14. “Beyond that, just a lot harder and less space, less time with the puck. Paul has established himself as a capable third-line center, a key forward on the penalty-kill unit and most recently a member of the second-team power-play unit. The Lightning have gotten what they expected — and more — from Paul when they acquired him in a trade with Ottawa, giving up pending restricted free agent Mathieu Joseph at the deadline.