Leafs send Aulie to Lightning for Ashton
Posted February 27, 2012 1:45 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were unable to get Ryan Malone from the Tampa Bay Lightning.
So they settled for Carter Ashton, a 20-year-old who plays a similar bang-bang style as Malone.
The Leafs traded defenceman Keith Aulie to the Lightning for Ashton, the son of former NHL forward Brent Ashton. The Winnipeg native was Tampa Bay’s second pick, 29th overall, in 2009.
In 56 games with the Norfolk Admirals this season the 6-foot-3, 215-pound winger had 19 goals and 35 points.
“He is a physical player who plays a north-south style,” said a Lightning source. “He doesn’t have great hands and is projected to be a second-line player at the NHL level.”
Aulie, 22, is 6-foot-6 and 217 pounds and had two assists and six penalty minutes in 17 games with the Maple Leafs this season.
Originally drafted by the Calgary Flames in the fourth round of 2007 draft, Aulie was part of the trade that brought Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf to Toronto.
In other news, the Maple Leafs plan to send defenceman Jake Gardiner to the Marlies today so he’ll be eligible for the American Hockey League playoffs. It will likely be a very short stay as he has been one of the Leafs best players during their losing streak.
