Lightning Sign Keith Aulie to One-Year Contract

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced on Saturday that they have re-signed defenseman Keith Aulie to a one-year, two-way contract.  The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.  He was acquired by the Lightning on February 27 from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Carter Ashton.  In 36 games last season with Toronto and Tampa Bay, he had three assists.  He also appeared in 26 games with Toronto and Norfolk of the AHL, scoring three assists.  This is a decent move for the Lightning, as Aulie will bring plenty of shutdown skill and physical play to the blueline.  More than likely, the short-term deal will be used to evaluate Aulie next season before the team considers offering him a longer contract.

Lightning Acquire Keith Aulie from Maple Leafs for Carter Ashton

The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they have acquired defenseman Keith Aulie from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for right wing Carter Ashton. Aulie is eligible for restricted free agency this summer, while Ashton still has two more years left on his entry-level deal. In 17 games this season with the Maple Leafs, Aulie had two assists. He also appeared in 23 games with Toronto of the AHL, scoring one assist. In 56 games with Norfolk of the AHL, Ashton has 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points. He has yet to appear in an NHL game. This is clearly a trade for the future for both Toronto and Tampa Bay. Aulie will bring plenty of shutdown skills and physical play to the Lightning blueline. He should be an excellent addition to the team as they look to rebuild their defense. Ashton has great size, lots of offensive potential, and is versatile enough to play on both wings. He should be a decent top-six forward for the Maple Leafs down the road.

Maple Leafs Acquire Phaneuf in Blockbuster Trade

The Toronto Maple Leafs made a huge splash on the trade market Sunday by acquiring defenseman Dion Phaneuf, left wing Fredrik Sjostrom, and prospect defenseman Keith Aulie in exchange for center Matt Stajan, left wing Niklas Hagman, right wing Jamal Mayers, and defenseman Ian White. The move comes as both teams try to shake-up their slumping rosters. In 55 games this season with the Flames, Phaneuf has 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points and 49 penalty minutes, while Sjostrom has one goal and five assists for six points in 46 games. Aulie has yet to appear in an NHL game.

In 55 games with the Maple Leafs this season, Stajan has 16 goals and 25 assists for 41 points, while Hagman has 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points in 55 games. In 44 games with the Maple Leafs, Mayers has two goals and six assists for eight points and 78 penalty minutes, while White has nine goals and 17 assists for 26 points and 39 penalty minutes in 56 games.

I have to say, this trade caught me completely off guard. Phaneuf had popped up in the rumor mill in recent weeks, but it seemed unlikely that he would be moved given the length and cost of his contract. He will, however, bring lots of toughness, offensive skill, and a great shot to the Maple Leafs' blueline. Sjostrom gives the team a decent checking line forward, while Aulie gives Toronto another young, physical defenseman to build around. While Maple Leafs' general manager Brian Burke did deplete his offense a little to acquire Phaneuf, and by doing so has shown that he is now fully rebuilding the team, Toronto now boasts a pretty strong blueline with Phaneuf, Tomas Kaberle, Mike Komisarek, and Francois Beauchemin.

The Flames had been mired in a nine-game winless streak prior to defeating the Oilers on Saturday night and had been reportedly looking to shake things up offensively. Stajan and Hagman both bring lots of offensive depth and scoring ability to the team's forward lines. Perhaps one of them will be able to help Jarome Iginla increase his goal-scoring over the course of the next few months. Mayers brings lots of grit and toughness to the Flames' roster, while White brings plenty of toughness and some offensive skill to the blueline. It will be interesting to see how many of these players the Flames will keep beyond this season. Hagman is under contract for two more seasons, while Mayers and Stajan are both unrestricted free agents this summer. White will be a restricted free agent this summer and could be retained if he plays well in Calgary. Hopefully these players will give the Flames a much needed offensive boost and be retained beyond this season, as it would be a shame to see them deal away a talented defenseman like Phaneuf for nothing but rental players.