The Stars got some great value Wednesday in a trade with Ottawa. They picked up veteran netminder Alex Auld in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in 2010. Basically they are getting an experienced goalie, who can be a starter if needed, for dirt cheap.
The trade is huge for Dallas as now they have a reliable backup for Marty Turco. Before the trade it was either going to be Brett Krahn or Matt Climie -- neither player with extensive NHL work. Auld has started for the Canucks, Panthers, Coyotes and Senators, so now general manager Joe Nieuwendyk can sleep a little easier at night.
Turco admitted the extensive workload in 2008-09 (74 games, including a streak of 32 straight starts) wore him down. Having Auld will allow first-year coach Marc Crawford to spell Turco at times and hopefully keep him fresh. He still should see the bulk of work in net and be a 30-win threat, but Turco is still more of a low-end No. 1/high-end No. 2 Fantasy goalie Draft Day. Auld is merely a No. 3 Fantasy goalie or handcuff option for Turco owners.
