Blackhawks Send Aucoin to Calgary

[tyfighter27]

General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that the Blackhawks have traded defenseman Adrian Aucoin and a 7th round pick in the 2007 Draft to the Calgary Flames in exchange for defensemen Andrei Zyuzin and Steve Marr.

Andrei Zyuzin, 29, played in 49 games for the Calgary Flames last season scoring one goal and adding five assists for six points with 30 penalty minutes.

Zyuzin, 6.01 and 208 pounds, was originally the first round pick of the San Jose Sharks (2nd overall) in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He has also played in Tampa Bay, New Jersey, and Minnesota.

In his NHL career, Zyuzin has appeared in 464 games scoring 36 goals while adding 79 assists for 115 points with 408 penalty minutes. He has also played in 29 career playoff games scoring two goals and three points with 30 penalty minutes.

Steve Marr, 23, stands at 6.02 and weighs 213 pounds. Last season, he played in 34 games for Omaha in the AHL scoring one goal and three assists for four points with 18 penalty minutes. He played four years of junior hockey for Medicine Hat in the Western Hockey League before signing as a free agent with Calgary in August of 2005.

Adrian Aucoin was signed by the Blackhawks as a free agent on August 2, 2005. He has played two seasons in Chicago appearing in 92 games and scoring 5 goals to go along with 17 assists for 22 points with 88 penalty minutes.

In his first season with the Blackhawks, 2005-06, Aucoin appeared in just 33 games. His season was shortened by a groin injury which sidelined him for 18 games and a dislocated shoulder which required surgery and sidelined him for 31 games. Last season, injuries kept him out of the lineup for 21 games.

In his NHL career, Aucoin has appeared in 694 games scoring 88 goals while adding 179 assists for 267 points and 544 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in 27 career playoff games scoring four goals while adding seven assists for 11 points with 16 penalty minutes.

[drwdan19]

4 mil a year!? Haha.

[vandymeer13]

Finally the HAwks are making some moves I agree with. Now they got to re-sign Koci, Vandermeer, Handzus and maybe even J.R. and I'll be satisfied.

[nsh03]

So who/what exactly are we getting in return?

[Ciccarelli]

Originally Posted by nsh03

So who/what exactly are we getting in return?

Who cares, the most important thing is to get rid of a overpaid always injured defenseman.

[Isles4life]

I'm not sure why Calgary would want him unless they think reuniting Aucoin with Hamrlik (if he re-signs) will bring them back to their glory days with the New York Islanders...

[OLLBLUEEYZ]

I don’t think Aucoin was the problem the last couple of years. I do agree that he did not warrant his 4mil a year salary, but we got an injury prone guy in return... I question this move.

[Thrillhouse]

I'm not sure Adrian and his big contract is a guy I wanted to see on the Flames. Hopefully he can pick up his offensive production. I do like that the Flames were able to dump Andrei Zyuzin. What a bum that guy is.

With 2 years left on his contract, what the hell is Sutter gonna do when d-day comes?

[NYR36]

How many D does Calgary need.

[Cat Smasher]

Originally Posted by Isles4life

I'm not sure why Calgary would want him unless they think reuniting Aucoin with Hamrlik (if he re-signs) will bring them back to their glory days with the New York Islanders...

To get him back with Keenan, when Aucoin was at his best I think.

[canuck2]

I've always been an Adrian fan. He was a good player when he was considered underrated. When he got the money and the expectations he couldnt live up to them.

Now that he is in Calgary and not expected to be the top guy I predict good things from him.

[vic714]

iffin tallon makes it thru the year it will only be because he has been in the orginaztion for a coons age because these 8 goal scores he's signing will not help this team make the playoffs

[canuckfan]

To me, this trade signifies two things: 1) Sutter has given up all hope of re-signing Stuart and Hamrlik, and 2) a crusade has begun to obtain players who have played and enjoyed success and Keenan in the past - Aucoin scored 23 goals - 10 years ago - under Keenan in Vancouver. And they got rid of a softy in Zyuzin who was bound to wilt under Iron Mike.

Still, I don't like it -Aucoin is oft-injured, well past his prime, and incredibly expensive - in a year where Sutter should be managing a budget to re-sign all his stars by next July, I don't see how obtaining a 4 million ticket Aucoin helps things. Plus, between him and Warrener, who gets hurt just as much as Aucoin does, the Flames odds of fielding a strong top 4 blueline for an entire healthy season just took a massive hit.

I didn't think Hamrlik or Stuart would be back in Calgary for next fall - this trade pretty much seals it - terrific move by Chicago clearing out a big contract.

[BROKEN*ORBITAL]

Chicago did well to rid themselves of that contract. New captain?

I see the Keenan connection here, but man that 4 million is a lot to sacrifice for Adrian Aucoin.

[peacemaker]

Pretty sure I read an interview with Aucoin himself whereby he himself talked about how he could no longer do the things he was once able to do b/c of his groin problems which in his words he 'would have to play with the rest of his career'....

If that is what he said, than I think what we have seen out of him the last few seasons is in fact what we can expect the next couple of season as well.

The team that dumped the most salary wins this one.