Cedric Paquette has been one of the few pleasant surprises on the Crunch this season. His speed, development and poise has made him one of the top rookies to watch on the team. In his first professional season, he is fourth on the team in scoring with 44 points (20-24) and was one of three players on the roster to have played in all 70 of the Crunch's games played so far this season. His game matured at the pace one believes Tampa expected from all of their rookies this season, and it says a lot about Paquette that he actually achieved that kind of maturity considering all of the roster turnover in Syracuse.



Paquette was ranked at number 20 on Raw Charge's Top 25 Under 25 list. Last season, Paquette played his way into the AHL Calder Cup playoffs, making the roster of an already talent-loaded Syracuse team through his work during practice with the Crunch's Black Aces. The coaching staff was impressed and Paquette saw ice time during the Eastern Conference finals. He played on the fourth line and contributed visible energy and physicality.

Paquette has continued his lack of fear about being physical, but he's gotten smarter about how and where to do it. His compete level is high, and he's one of the few guys that Crunch fans could honestly say showed up every single game and made himself visible this past season. He isn't afraid to hang out in front of the net and definitely embraced the space created by Tampa's ravaging of Syracuse's roster.

Paquette is probably one of first of the Black Aces to be recalled, although he could see playing time in one of the two games left before the Lightning's regular season ends on Sunday.