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UFA spotlight -- Paul Gaustad

Nashville Predators v Florida Panthers

SUNRISE, FL - MARCH 03: Paul Gaustad #28 of the Nashville Predators skates in his first game as a Predator against the Florida Panthers at the BankAtlantic Center on March 3, 2012 in Sunrise, Florida. The Predators defeated the Panthers 3-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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All week leading up to July 1, we’ll be profiling unrestricted free agents and speculating where they might end up.

Paul Gaustad (C)

Age: 30

2011-12 cap hit: $2.3 million

The skinny: After rolling the dice and giving up a first-round pick for Gaustad at the deadline, Nashville would love to retain his services.

The burly centerman has some toughness (though Ryan Miller might argue about that) and he wins faceoffs more often than not.

Gaustad is a third- or fourth-line center and has the kind of snarl organizations are looking for out of a grind line guy. A team looking for depth up the middle could do well in adding Gaustad, but he struggled in the postseason for Nashville playing just over 11 minutes a game.

Buyer beware.

More UFA spotlights

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Zach Parise

Jason Garrison

Jiri Hudler

Justin Schultz

Shane Doan

Alexander Semin