Nick Paul has officially said goodbye to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Just over a month after being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for goaltender Dennis Hildeby, Paul shared a farewell message to the organization, the city of Tampa, and Lightning fans in an Instagram post on Monday.
“To the Tampa Bay Lightning organization, thank you for the opportunity to wear the Bolt. It was a privilege to compete alongside incredible teammates, coaches and staff, and l’ll always be grateful for the memories we created together.”
After thanking the organization, Paul turned his attention to the fan base and the city that became home during his time with the Lightning.
“To the fans, thank you for incredible support from day one. Your passion for this team, and this city made it an honor to play here. I’ll always be thankful for the way you embraced me and my family.”
Paul had been a key part of the Lightning lineup since arriving from the Ottawa Senators during the 2021-22 season. After battling injuries last season, his role began to change. His penalty-kill minutes declined slightly, and with younger players pushing for larger roles, it appeared his five-on-five ice time would continue to decrease moving forward.
“We could see where the lineup was going, that his role was probably going to diminish within our roster,” said Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois. “Timing was probably right for him to get a change of scenery, and for us to go in a different route with players that maybe complement some of the guys we have.”
Paul joins former Lightning teammate Darren Raddysh, who was dealt to the Maple Leafs before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
