Leafs Bolster Forward Depth
Maple Leafs acquire local forward Nick Paul from Lightning for Hildeby, draft picks
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Key Points
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Leafs' trade of Hildeby aligns with their goalie retooling after signing Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year deal, with Anthony Stolarz set as the immediate backup and Artur Akhtyamov in the pipeline.
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Nick Paul has a career 214 points (104 goals, 110 assists) in 537 regular-season games and 14 playoff points in 45 playoff games, underscoring his long-standing production level.
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The traded assets include a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick, adding considerable draft capital to Tampa Bay.
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Hildeby's 2025-26 season included a .914 save percentage in 20 NHL games (and .898 in 23 AHL games); he also backed up Artur Akhtyamov as the Toronto Marlies won the Calder Cup.
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Paul was a 2013 fourth-round pick by the Ottawa Senators (No. 101 overall) and made his NHL debut in 2015-16; he was with Ottawa before being traded to Tampa Bay in March 2022.
The Toronto Maple Leafs landed a hometown hero on July 1, acquiring forward Nick Paul from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for goaltender Dennis Hildeby and two future draft picks, according to Daily Faceoff. Paul, a Mississauga native, returns home on a contract running through 2028-29 at a $3.15 million cap hit.
The deal sent Hildeby — a 24-year-old with a .914 save percentage in 20 NHL games last season — to Tampa Bay along with a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 third-round pick, Raw Charge reported. It came on one of the busiest days in recent Leafs history, with Toronto also signing Sergei Bobrovsky and four other forwards on the same afternoon.
Paul Comes Home to Fill Toronto's Third-Line Hole
Paul, 31, stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 234 pounds. He is expected to slot in as Toronto's third-line center. He posted back-to-back 20-goal seasons before a wrist injury slowed him to 7 goals and 15 points in 51 games last year, Tampa Bay 28 reported. Over his career, he has 104 goals, 110 assists, and 214 points across 537 regular-season games.
Paul also carries a strong playoff résumé — 14 points in 45 postseason games. Leafs fans will remember him well. He scored both goals in Tampa Bay's 2-1 Game 7 win over Toronto in the 2022 playoffs. The Leafs have now turned that thorn into an asset, locking him up through the 2028-29 season.
Bobrovsky Signing Made Hildeby's Exit Inevitable
Toronto signed two-time Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year, $21 million deal earlier the same day. That immediately made Hildeby expendable. With Anthony Stolarz set as the backup and prospect Artur Akhtyamov rising through the system, Hildeby was set to need waivers in the fall — meaning Toronto risked losing him for nothing, Daily Faceoff noted.
Hildeby had a solid season. He went 5-7-4 with a .914 save percentage in 20 NHL games. He also helped the Toronto Marlies win the Calder Cup, posting a 2.17 GAA and .921 save percentage in the AHL playoffs. Tampa Bay gets a young, 6-foot-7 Swedish netminder with real upside — and two picks on top of it, according to Raw Charge.
Lightning Turn a Fading Contract Into Draft Capital
From Tampa Bay's view, the trade is a win in asset management. The Lightning shed Paul's $3.15 million cap hit, added a promising young goalie, and collected a 2027 fourth-round pick plus a 2028 third-round pick. Raw Charge called it a "clear win" for GM Julien BriseBois, who continues to retool after the team's championship window has narrowed.
Paul was originally a 2013 fourth-round pick (101st overall) by Ottawa. He came to Tampa Bay in a March 2022 trade and spent five seasons there. Now, the Lightning can develop Hildeby — likely starting in the AHL with Syracuse — while freeing space for younger forwards already in the pipeline.
Toronto's Cap Picture Tightens After a Packed Free-Agency Day
The Paul trade increases Toronto's cap obligations by roughly $2.3 million compared to carrying Hildeby. Paul's $3.15 million hit replaces Hildeby's $841,667 deal. Combined with the Bobrovsky signing and multi-year deals for Jack Roslovic ($4M AAV), Colton Sissons ($4.25M AAV), Teddy Blueger ($2.5M AAV), and Brandon Duhaime ($2.6M AAV), the Leafs are operating near the salary cap ceiling, Hockey Patrol reported.
Reports suggest Toronto has between $581,000 and $1.3 million in remaining cap space. That leaves little room for further moves without another trade. Analysts have noted a potential Morgan Rielly trade could create flexibility. For now, Toronto has built one of the heaviest bottom-six forward groups in the league — and brought a hometown kid back to where it all started.
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