Paul Gaustad

Paul Gaustad
Born February 3, 1982
Fargo, ND, USA
Height 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight 223 lb (101 kg; 15 st 13 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams 		Nashville Predators
Buffalo Sabres
National team  United States
NHL Draft 220th overall, 2000
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 2002–present

Paul Michael Gaustad (born February 3, 1982) is a professional ice hockey center for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League. He is nicknamed "Goose". Gaustad was born in Fargo, North Dakota, but grew up in Portland, Oregon.

Playing career

Gaustad was drafted in the 7th round (220th overall) by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. In the off-season Paul lives in Portland, Oregon. He also played for the Portland Winter Hawks of the WHL.

Prior to joining Portland in 1999–2000, Gaustad was a Portland Jr. Hawk. Afterward, Gaustad started playing for a Tier II team in Burnaby, B.C. of the BCJHL. In his three seasons with the Winter Hawks, Gaustad registered 135 points (53–82–135) before making his professional debut with the Sabres AHL affiliate in Rochester in 2002–03. Upon his arrival in Rochester, the Fargo native registered 53 points (14–39–53) in 80 games while seeing his first action with the parent club.

In 2005, he secured a starting position with the Buffalo Sabres, where he played mostly as 4th line center, and played the power forward/enforcer role, along with teammates Adam Mair and Andrew Peters. Gaustad, who had worn the number 14 in Rochester, had to double his number to 28 in Buffalo, due to 14 being retired in honor of Rene Robert.

Gaustad in 2007

On February 7, 2007, in a game against the Ottawa Senators, his leg was cut and his tendon was sliced in a collision with Dany Heatley, an injury which at the time was thought to have ended his season; and later it was revealed that it could have potentially ended his career had it been an inch deeper. However, he did recover ahead of schedule and joined the Sabres in their post-season on May 4, 2007, for Game 5 against the New York Rangers at home in Buffalo.

After a productive campaign during the 2007-08 season in which he registered a solid 36 points while mainly on the third and fourth lines, Gaustad was re-signed by the Sabres to a 4-year contract extension worth $9.2 million on the eve of free agency.[1]

On the ice, Gaustad is known for his teamwork and gritty play making him a popular favorite among fans. He is often in front of the net using his 6'5 frame to screen goaltenders and deflect goals. Because of this ability, he typically plays a unit on the powerplay.

At the 2012 trade deadline, Gaustad and a 2013 fourth round draft pick were sent to the Nashville Predators for a 2012 first round draft pick on February 27, 2012 [2]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1999–00 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 56 6 8 14 110 — — — — —
2000–01 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 70 11 30 41 168 16 10 6 16 59
2001–02 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 72 36 44 80 202 6 3 1 4 16
2002–03 Rochester Americans AHL 80 14 39 53 137 3 0 0 0 4
2002–03 Buffalo Sabres NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2003–04 Rochester Americans AHL 78 9 22 31 169 16 3 10 13 30
2004–05 Rochester Americans AHL 76 18 25 43 192 9 6 5 11 16
2005–06 Buffalo Sabres NHL 78 9 15 24 65 18 0 4 4 14
2006–07 Buffalo Sabres NHL 54 9 13 22 74 7 0 1 1 2
2007–08 Buffalo Sabres NHL 82 10 26 36 85 — — — — —
2008–09 Buffalo Sabres NHL 62 12 17 29 108 — — — — —
2009–10 Buffalo Sabres NHL 65 12 10 22 82 6 0 1 1 8
2010–11 Buffalo Sabres NHL 81 12 19 31 101 7 0 2 2 13
2011–12 Buffalo Sabres NHL 56 7 10 17 70 — — — — —
2011–12 Nashville Predators NHL 14 0 4 4 6 10 1 1 2 5
2012–13 Nashville Predators NHL 23 2 3 5 20 — — — — —
2013–14 Nashville Predators NHL 75 10 11 21 61 — — — — —
2014–15 Nashville Predators NHL 73 4 10 14 60 6 0 0 0 22
NHL totals 664 87 138 225 732 54 1 9 10 64

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2011 United States WC 8th 6 0 1 1 4
Senior totals 6 0 1 1 4

References

  1. ↑ "Sabres re-sign Gaustad to four-year deal". Buffalo Sabres. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2011-05-31.
  2. ↑ "Goose Heading to Nashville; Roy Staying Put?". 27 February 2012: WGR. Retrieved 27 February 2012.

External links