Cédric Paquette

Lore & Background

Paquette played major junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Montreal Juniors and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, scoring 58 goals and 131 points in 126 games. He was drafted by the Lightning in 2012 and signed an entry-level contract in May 2013, beginning his professional career with the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League (AHL). After posting 20 goals and 22 assists in 70 AHL games, he was recalled by the Lightning in April 2014.

During the 2014–15 season, Paquette scored his first two NHL goals on November 6 against the Calgary Flames and later recorded his first career NHL hat-trick on January 29, 2015, against the Detroit Red Wings. He scored his first Stanley Cup playoff goal on April 27, 2015, also against the Red Wings. Over his Lightning tenure, he developed a reputation as a physical, penalty-minute leader, leading the team in that category during the 2018–19 season while posting a career-high 13 goals. He was suspended one game in November 2017 for boarding Boston's Torey Krug.

Paquette was traded to the Ottawa Senators in December 2020, then moved to the Carolina Hurricanes in February 2021. He signed with the Montreal Canadiens as a free agent in July 2021 but was demoted to the AHL's Laval Rocket during the 2021–22 season. He moved to the KHL in August 2022, signing with HC Dinamo Minsk, and later joined HC Dynamo Moscow in May 2023. In October 2024, he acquired Russian citizenship, removing his import status in the KHL.

Reader's Guide

Cédric Paquette's significance lies primarily in his role as a depth forward and physical presence during the Tampa Bay Lightning's Stanley Cup championship run in 2020. Drafted in the fourth round, he developed through the Lightning's system, spending time with the Syracuse Crunch before establishing himself as a regular NHL contributor. His career-high 13 goals in the 2018–19 season and his team-leading penalty minutes that same year illustrate the gritty, two-way style he brought to the lineup.

Paquette's legacy is tied to the Lightning's 2020 Stanley Cup victory, where he played in 25 playoff games. After leaving Tampa Bay, he became a journeyman, playing for three more NHL teams—Ottawa, Carolina, and Montreal—in quick succession before moving to the KHL. His acquisition of Russian citizenship in 2024 allowed him to continue his career in the KHL without occupying an import slot. While not a star, Paquette's path from a fourth-round pick to a Stanley Cup champion and his subsequent international career exemplify the trajectory of a reliable, hard-nosed forward who carved out a decade-long professional career.

Did You Know?

• Paquette scored his first career NHL hat-trick on January 29, 2015, in a 5–1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
• He was suspended for one game in November 2017 for boarding Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug.
• His cousin, Christopher Paquette, was also drafted by the Lightning, in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL entry draft.
• Paquette acquired Russian citizenship in October 2024, making him no longer considered an import in the KHL.

From Chandler to the Pros: Junior Development

Cédric Paquette was born on August 13, 1993, in the small Quebec community of Chandler, where his early hockey journey took shape. As a young skater, he represented his hometown at the 2006 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, a formative experience for aspiring Quebecois players. He then spent three seasons at College Notre-Dame of Montreal, scoring 28 goals before stepping up to major junior hockey. In the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Paquette split time between the Montreal Juniors and the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, amassing 58 goals and 131 points across 126 games. His 191 penalty minutes during that stretch already signaled his comfort with the physical side of the game. NHL scouts took notice, and in the 2012 entry draft the Tampa Bay Lightning selected him in the fourth round, 101st overall, launching him onto the professional path.

Tampa Bay: From the AHL Grind to Cup Glory

After signing a three-year entry-level deal in May 2013, Paquette spent his first professional season with the Syracuse Crunch, the Lightning's AHL affiliate. His 20 goals and 22 assists in 70 Crunch games earned him a recall in April 2014. The following season marked his NHL breakthrough: on November 6, 2014, he scored his first two league goals in a 5–2 win over Calgary, and by January 29, 2015, he had recorded his first career hat-trick against Detroit. He added his first playoff goal the same spring in another win over the Red Wings. Over three seasons with Tampa, Paquette appeared in 122 games, collecting 18 goals and 31 points while logging 102 penalty minutes. His 2018–19 campaign was his offensive peak, with a career-high 13 goals in 80 games. The culmination arrived in 2019–20, when he played in 25 postseason games as the Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars in six games to claim the Stanley Cup.

A Wandering Path: NHL Departures and the KHL

Paquette's seven-year run in Tampa ended on December 27, 2020, when he was dealt to Ottawa alongside Braydon Coburn and a 2022 second-round pick. He made his Senators debut on January 15, 2021, in a 5–3 win over Toronto, but his stay was brief. Just nine games later, on February 13, 2021, he was traded again, this time to Carolina in a deal involving Alex Galchenyuk. With the Hurricanes he contributed 3 goals and 7 points over 38 games. Seeking a fresh start, he signed a one-year, $950,000 contract with the Montreal Canadiens in July 2021 as a replacement for Corey Perry, but his role shrank quickly. After just 2 points in 24 games, he was scratched from the lineup from January to March 2022 and eventually demoted to the Laval Rocket. In August 2022, Paquette crossed the Atlantic to join HC Dinamo Minsk in the KHL, followed by a two-year stint with HC Dynamo Moscow beginning in 2023. In June 2026, he signed a one-year deal with Avangard Omsk for the 2026–27 season.

Family Roots and a New Identity

Paquette's connection to the Lightning extends beyond his own career. His cousin, Christopher Paquette, was also selected by Tampa Bay in the 2016 NHL entry draft, landing in the fifth round with the 148th overall pick. The two cousins thus shared the same franchise's draft room, a family thread that underscored the Lightning's sustained interest in the Paquette name. Beyond the ice, Paquette's identity evolved significantly during his KHL years. On October 21, 2024, he publicly announced that he had acquired Russian citizenship. This legal step carried practical consequences for his professional standing: under KHL rules he was no longer classified as an import, freeing his team from the league's roster restrictions on foreign players. The decision reflected a full personal commitment to his life in Russia after his initial move from the NHL, cementing his transition from a Canadian journeyman to a settled KHL veteran playing for clubs across the league.