1997 NHL Draft
Paul Mara in the 1997 NHL Draft
Tampa Bay Lightning selected Paul Mara 7th overall in the 1997 NHL Draft.
It was the first of the 12 picks Tampa Bay Lightning made in the draft. Of the 246 players selected in 1997, 101 have played in the NHL regular season. His 734 games put him 15th in the class.
- Overall pick
- 7
- Round and pick
- Round 1, pick 7
- Drafting team
- TBLTampa Bay Lightning
- Date
- Age at the draft
- 17 years
The picks around it
Picks 4–10 in the 1997 draft
- 4Roberto LuongoG1044 GP · 489 WNYINew York Islanders
- 5Eric BrewerD1009 GP · 271 PNYINew York Islanders
- 6Daniel TkaczukC19 GP · 11 PCGYCalgary Flames
- 7Paul MaraD734 GP · 253 PTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 8Sergei SamsonovL888 GP · 571 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 9Nick BoyntonD605 GP · 144 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 10Brad FerenceD250 GP · 34 PVANVancouver Canucks
Games and points are NHL regular season to date.
Place in the draft class
Where he came in the 1997 class
7th
of 246 players selected
2nd
of 91 defensemen selected
Counted in draft order across the whole draft. The position is the one listed at the draft.
First off the board
- 1Joe ThorntonC1714 GP · 1539 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 2Patrick MarleauC1779 GP · 1197 PSJSSan Jose Sharks
- 3Olli JokinenC1231 GP · 750 PLAKLos Angeles Kings
- 4Roberto LuongoG1044 GP · 489 WNYINew York Islanders
- 5Eric BrewerD1009 GP · 271 PNYINew York Islanders
- 6Daniel TkaczukC19 GP · 11 PCGYCalgary Flames
- 7Paul MaraD734 GP · 253 PTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 8Sergei SamsonovL888 GP · 571 PBOSBoston Bruins
- 9Nick BoyntonD605 GP · 144 PWSHWashington Capitals
- 10Brad FerenceD250 GP · 34 PVANVancouver Canucks
+ 236 more
After the draft
The road to the NHL
Paul Mara made his NHL debut on April 17, 1999, 1 year and 300 days after the draft.
734
Games
64
Goals
189
Assists
253
Points
NHL regular season to date.
The team's draft
Tampa Bay Lightning picks in the 1997 draft
- 7Paul MaraD734 GP · 253 PTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 33Kyle KosDTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 61Matt ElichR16 GP · 2 PTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 108Mark ThompsonDTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 109Jan SulcCTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 112Karel BetikD3 GP · 2 PTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 153Andrei SkopintsevD40 GP · 6 PTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 168Justin JackRTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 170Eero SomervuoriRTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 185Samuel St. PierreRTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 198Shawn SkolneyDTBLTampa Bay Lightning
- 224Paul ComrieC15 GP · 3 PTBLTampa Bay Lightning