During a busy opening day of free agency, the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Nick Paul from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick and 2028 third-round pick, the team confirmed Wednesday.

Paul registered seven goals and 15 points in 51 games with the Lightning last season. He’s been a consistent thorn in the Maple Leafs’ side, notably scoring both goals in Tampa Bay’s 2-1 victory over Toronto in Game 7, during the first round of the 2022 playoffs. Paul has registered two 20-goal seasons, and he’ll be able to play throughout the lineup, while providing some much-needed size to the lineup.

Toronto continues to be dealing from a position of strength, while reshaping its crease. Earlier this summer, Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka traded Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers, in exchange for Emil Andrae, Samuel Ersson (later traded to the Ottawa Senators) and a third-round pick. Artur Akhtyamov won the Calder Cup Playoffs MVP with the Toronto Marlies, and supplanted Hildeby on the organization’s depth chart.

Hildeby signed a three-year extension with the Maple Leafs in September 2025, and was developing into a key part of the team’s long-term plans. The 24-year-old posted a .914 save percentage in 20 appearances with the Maple Leafs, while registering an .898 save percentage in 23 appearances with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Akhtyamov surpassed Hildeby eventually, and the Maple Leafs were attempting to gain some value, while dealing from a position of strength.

Toronto signed Sergei Bobrovsky to a three-year deal on Wednesday, reportedly worth $7 million per season. It’s partly why Hildeby quickly became expendable, as he no longer fit into the team’s plans, while the Maple Leafs drastically overhaul their roster ahead of the 2026-27 season. This could be a mutually beneficial deal for the two divisional rivals, both of whom are still vying for Zach Werenski in a potential trade.

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