Paul Mara

Paul Mara is an American professional hockey player, currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League. He plays defence and wears #22 for the Habs. He has not played since January 22, 2010 due to an upper body injury suffered against the New Jersey Devils.

Mara began his career with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League in 1996. He was then drafted seventh overall in the 1997 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mara continued in the OHL, with the Plymouth Whalers through 1999, playing a single game with the Lightning that season. He split his next two years between the Lightning and the Detroit Vipers in the now defunct International Hockey League.

On March 5, 2001, Mara was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes. He played for the Hannover Scorpions in the Deutsche Eishockey-Liga, or German Ice Hockey League, during the 2004-05 NHL Lockout. After one additional season in Phoenix, Mara was traded to the Boston Bruins on June 26, 2006. The following year Mara was traded again, going to the New York Rangers on February 27, 2007. He re-signed with the Rangers in 2008. On July 10, 2009 he signed as a free agent with the Montreal Canadiens.

Mara played consistently on the blueline but was hampered by injuries throughout the year and only played half the season. He missed 5 games from December 7-December 17 due to an upper body injury, and another 5 games from December 21-January 3.http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8466144&view=notes On January 22 in a game against the New Jersey Devils he suffered a season-ending upper body injury, resulting in the Habs having up to call up players to replace him.http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8466144&view=notes His final stats for the 2009-2010 season: 42 games, 0 goals, 8 assists, 48 penalty minutes.http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8466144&view=stats