Paul Mara was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning 7th overall in the 1997 NHL entry draft.
Born
in Belmont, Massachusetts; Paul Mara represented his country several
times in the World Junior Hockey Championship. Mara played for the
United States in Rangers Jersey 2011 the 1996-1997, 1997-1998 and 1998-1999 World Junior Hockey Championships.
Paul Mara played high school hockey at Bellmont Hill High School in Massachusetts. His second year Rangers Jersey 2011
as a 15 year old, Mara scored 38 points in 28 games. After two years
of high school hockey Paul decided to head up north and play for the
Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League. Paul would later admit it
was the best decision of his life to go play in the OHL.
During
his second season of playing for the Sudbury Wolves, Mara was part of a
3 team trade with the Windsor SpitFires which saw him head to the
Plymouth Whalers on December 16, 1997. Mara spent one final year in the
OHL before being drafted by the Lightning. During Paul Mara\'s 3 year
OHL career he averaged around a point per game as defenseman.
After
two years of splitting his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the
Lightning\'s affiliate team the Detroit Vipers of the International
Hockey League, Mara finally seemed to have solidified a spot in the NHL
before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes.
Paul Mara
developed into a reliable defenseman for the Coyotes and would spend 5
NHL seasons with the club. During the off-season of 2006 Mara was traded
to the Bruins for defenseman Nick Boynton. After 59 games in a Bruins
jersey Mara was shipped to the Rangers and spent the next 3 season there
before signing in Montreal.
After a disappointing
season with the Canadiens (partially due to an injury) Mara signed with
the Anaheim Ducks for a 1 year contract worth $750,000. Mara would later
find his way back to the Canadiens organization before the 2010-2011
trade deadline.
Paul Mara is a big body defenseman. He
doesn\'t necessarily have a special talent but is an all around solid
reliable defender. You will usually find Paul Mara on the third
defensive pairing. Mara does a good job at using his tall strong frame
to push players off pucks but is on the slow side and has trouble
keeping up. Mara plays well when he gets involved physically and
simplifies his game. Mara has a decent shot from the point and was once a
powerplay specialist in Phoenix.
Mara is not afraid to drop the gloves and will stick up for his teammates. He is a great communicator and a team player.
Paul\'s older Rangers Jersey 2011 brother Rob Mara was drafted by the BlackHawks in 1994 so hockey runs in Mara\'s blood.
