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Paquette Extension Sends Bad Message |
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In the last three seasons, the Lightning have moved up two spots each year in minor penalties accrued, finally finishing first in the NHL this year. Additionally, they are the only team during that span to break the 300-minor-penalties mark every year. A lot of justified anger was directed at coach Jon Cooper after his team looked apathetic and listless against the Blue Jackets. But if Cooper wants to keep his job—and even with his recent extension, I think he still stands on uneven ground—one category the Lightning should look to improve is their discipline.
The subject of discipline seems particularly relevant since the Lightning recently extended Cedric Paquette to a two-year contract for $1.65M AAV. This is baffling. Paquette, a semi-talented fourth-liner, posted a career-high 13 goals last season, but he plays with a heedless, bull-in-a-china-shop mentality. To wit, he led the Lightning in minor penalties in 2018-19 with 30. That is five more minor penalties than Nikita Kucherov, who ranked second on the Lightning.
Paquette has no kill switch, no sense of timing and perspective. The Lightning could be tied with a minute left in the third period, or down by five goals, and Paquette will unapologetically barrel into a player without the puck and commit interference. He punches the opposition after the whistle. He is always a threat to start a scrum, and he is the embodiment of the hockey shibboleth that grit is important.
Realistically, if the Lightning had played more games in the postseason, Paquette’s lack of control would have hurt them. In 2017-18, when the Bolts lasted 17 playoff games, Paquette tied for the lead in minor penalties among Lightning players. Even though the Lightning penalty kill was awesome this regular season, it foundered in the playoffs. Unsurprisingly, depriving the Lightning of their best players and putting undue strain on the penalty killers had an adverse effect. Playing the same skilled opponent every other night is dramatically different than the low-stakes mélange of opponents during the regular season.
So what exactly do the Lightning gain by extending Paquette? The fourth-line center had the worst Corsi Plus-Minus at 5v5 on the Lightning, although Cooper utilizes him with onerous zone starts. Regardless, Paquette does not have much to offer in terms of his puck-handling or playmaking. He has a decent shot and he can hit. Around the net, he can find the puck and make a nice skill play. But it is unclear whether he is a good enough skater to consistently forecheck or prevent his line from becoming endlessly hemmed in.
The Paquette extension is irritating because the Lightning can add a physicality quotient and still instill more discipline and accountability. It is not an either-or. That falls on Cooper, but it also flows up to management not to retain unhinged players.
Soon to be 26, Paquette has likely realized his full potential. I am skeptical that he will morph into the center version of Tom Wilson, which is the only reason I could envision the Lightning keeping him around. More likely, Paquette is an energy player whose lack of discipline could sink the Lightning at a crucial moment next spring. Moreover, for a team that is supposed to be pinching pennies, it is peculiar that the Lightning are splurging money on their fourth-line center. Ultimately, the Lightning’s extension of Paquette implicitly demonstrates that bad behavior gets rewarded.
Tampa Bay Lightning Blogger • 
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