So far on the first day of NHL free agency, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka has been a madman, making multiple moves in an effort to get his club, which recently selected Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, back to the postseason.
And now, he’s made yet another move to acquire a forward who is known for his performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Maple Leafs have traded depth goaltender Dennis Hildeby to the divisional rival Tampa Bay Lightning, along with a third and fourth round draft pick, in return for forward Nick Paul.
The news was confirmed by the Lightning on X, writing the following:
“We have acquired goaltender Dennis Hildeby, along with a fourth-round pick in 2027 and a third-round pick in 2028 from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Nick Paul.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs Have Acquired Nick Paul From The Tampa Bay Lightning
The Maple Leafs, who have already made several moves so far since the arrival of Chayka as general manager, now have one of Tampa Bay’s key forwards in their lineup.
Paul arrives with the Maple Leafs after having scored 24 and 22 goals during the respective 2023-24 and 2024-25 NHL seasons before being limited to just 51 games in 2025-26.
He was acquired by the Lightning from the Ottawa Senators at the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline in exchange for Mathieu Joseph and a 2024 fourth-round draft pick, and would help the Bolts reach the Stanley Cup Final for a third straight year, though they ultimately fell short against the Colorado Avalanche.
Paul played a key role in Tampa Bay’s comeback victory over the Maple Leafs in the 2022 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal, scoring twice in Game 7 at Scotiabank Arena as part of their 2-1 victory.
During that postseason run, Paul contributed five goals and four assists in 23 playoff games.
In 537 career NHL games played with the Senators and Lightning, Paul has scored 104 goals with 110 assists along with 214 penalty minutes. Additionally, he’s scored 10 goals with four assists in 45 career Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Dennis Hildeby Was Traded To The Lightning As Part Of The Deal
Hildeby, who was taken in the fourth round (122nd overall pick) of the 2022 NHL Draft, split last year between the NHL and the American Hockey League.
He played in 20 games with the Maple Leafs, finishing with a 5-7-4 record, a 2.86 goals-against average, and an impressive .914 save percentage, the best marks among Toronto goaltenders who played at least 20 games.
He also logged 23 games with the Toronto Marlies, where he posted a 10-8-5 record with a 2.71 goals-against average and .898 save percentage. He then turned aside pucks at a .921 clip while recording a 2.17 goals-against average in three Calder Cup Playoff appearances.
Since making the jump to North America, Hildeby has appeared in 26 NHL games, all with the Maple Leafs, compiling an 8-10-4 record with a 2.98 goals-against average and .906 save percentage.
At the AHL level, he has suited up for 96 career contests with the Marlies, producing a 47-29-16 record, six shutouts, a 2.57 goals-against average, and a .906 save percentage.
He’s under contract for two more years with a salary cap hit of $841,667.
John Chayka Trades Goaltender To Acquire Maple Leafs Playoff Killer