After completing the biggest trade of the season so far, the Ottawa Senators have some new faces in town. One of them is the incoming Matt Duchene, but another is 22-year old forward Nick Paul, a recent recall from Belleville of the AHL. Paul had recorded five assists in eleven games this season for the baby-Sens, but had regularly been one of the most dominant players on the ice.
Now, the team has to see what they have. Paul played in just one game last season, and afterwards GM Pierre Dorion called his year “disappointing.” Don Brennan of the Ottawa Citizen profiled Paul’s work this summer to improve his game, and how he struggled with added pressure in 2016-17. Some of that pressure comes from the fact that he’s the last remnant of the Jason Spezza trade of 2014.
Dorion spoke recently to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, saying that he’s “anxious to see how Nick Paul will play” given his recent success in Belleville, before making another deal to help his club up front. Darren Dreger of TSN agrees, reporting that teams have been calling the Senators to ask about Paul as a potential trade target. The Senators know that they need to find out what they have before moving on, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be sticking around even if he shows he’s ready for the NHL.
Paul is with the team as they prepare to take on Colorado in a pair of games in Stockholm, Sweden which could easily turn into a showcase for the young forward. If he does get into the lineup you can bet the NHL will take notice of his play. Whether he stays with the Senators or is turned into a trade asset, it’s clear that this season is the chance for Paul to really show what he can do.
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