Tampa Bay Lightning re-signs Cedric Paquette to a one-year deal
The Tampa Bay Lightning has re-signed forward Cedric Paquette to a one-year contract.
The Tampa Bay Lightning has been the center of attention around the NHL lately thanks to the overabundance of rumors revolving around the potential acquisition of Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson. While the rest of the hockey world has their eyes fixated on Karlsson, the Lightning continues to keep things close to home.
It hasn’t been quite the hopping Free Agency some Lightning fans expected, but this doesn’t mean the Bolts are making deals and getting things done. The Bolts have already re-upped defenseman Ryan McDonagh, signing him to a seven-year deal. The team has also locked down Slater Koekkoek for one more year.
Tonight, the Lightning has inked another deal which will keep one of the team’s free agents here in the Bolts Nation a little while longer. The Tampa Bay Lightning announced in a Press Release on their official site the team has re-signed forward Cedric Paquette to a one-year extension.
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When one thinks of Cedric Paquette, the first thing that tends to come to mind is his fiery spirit and his willingness to drop the gloves in defense of one of his teammates. Given his reputation, surprisingly, he did not lead the team in Penalty Minutes. This honor was bestowed upon Lightning captain Steven Stamkos.
There are usually only two sides among fans when it comes to a signing; those who love the signing and those who absolutely despise the deal. When it comes to the case of Cedric Paquette, things aren’t quite so black and white.
Some fans here in the Bolts Nation find themselves torn when it comes to their feelings about Cedric Paquette. While he is fairly decent in the faceoff circle and definitely willing to “take one for the team”, he isn’t exactly the highest point producer on the team.
Last season, Paquette laced up his skates for a total of 56 games with the Lightning. In this amount of time, Paquette scored five goals and four assists for a total of nine points. Regrettably, this accompanied a minus-five plus/minus rating. These numbers are the lowest Paquette has seen since his very first season with the Lightning back in the 2013-14 season.
On the flip side, the dollar amount attached to Paquette’s new deal is a nice improvement from the $812,500 he was making under his previous deal. Yzerman wouldn’t have invested the money into Paquette if he didn’t see an upside here. Now, the onus is on Paquette to show why Yzerman’s faith in him is well-placed.
Next: Lightning Re-Signs Slater Koekkoek to 1-Year Deal
There are still a number of players in need of new contracts before the start of the 2018-19 season. Of course, there is always the hope a certain Senator will be making his way to the Bolts Nation. While the latter may be a little further off than some would hope, you can bet the signings are far from over.