Senators acquire Coburn, Paquette and draft pick from Lightning

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators have acquired defenceman Braydon Coburn, forward Cedric Paquette and a 2022 second-round draft pick from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Marian Gaborik and goaltender Anders Nilsson. 

The deal was announced Sunday night.

Ottawa has added two veteran players for now and potentially one for the future in return for two skaters not expected to dress this season, while the Lightning get some assistance towards their salary cap situation.

Both Gaborik and Nilsson, combined for an annual average cap hit just over US$7 million for 2021-22, will be placed on long-term injury reserve and will not play this season, according to a release by Tampa Bay.

The 35-year-old Coburn, from Shaunavon, Sask., has played 964 career NHL games with Atlanta, the Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay since breaking into the league with the Thrashers in the 2005-06 season, and has scored 49 goals and 232 points. He is in the final season of a two-year deal with a $1.7 million average. 

The 27-year-old Paquette, from Gaspe, Que., has plays 377 NHL games — all with Tampa Bay — and  has recorded 47 goals and 85 points . He is set to make $1.65 million in the final season of a two-year contract.

Gaborik underwent back surgery in April 2018 and hasn’t played since. He is entering the final year of a seven-year deal worth $4.875 a season. 

Nilsson went down with a concussion in Dec. 2019 and has not returned to game action. He’s owed $2.6 this season, his last of a two-year deal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 27, 2020.

The Canadian Press