Dallas now home sweet home for Rome

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This article was published 03/07/2012 (5108 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nesbitt native Aaron Rome is heading to Dallas for a bigger role and a bigger paycheque.

For the second time in three years, the 28-year-old defenceman cashed in on Canada Day, agreeing to terms on a three-year,

US$4.5-million contract with the NHL’s Dallas Stars on the first day of free agency Sunday and officially finalizing the deal yesterday.

“You know what, I’m just signing the paperwork right now,” Rome said Monday afternoon from Winnipeg, where he now lives in the off-season after selling his Brandon home last year.

“It all happened pretty quickly (on Sunday). We had some discussions throughout the day and throughout the afternoon and I was spending time at the (Pelican) lake just relaxing with family and just kind of waiting to hear from my agent every few hours. I thought it was going to play out a lot longer after waiting the whole day, but everything fell into place, so we’re just really fortunate and happy that we could get it done.”

The contract is a substantial raise on the US$1.5-million, two-year deal he signed with the Canucks in 2010, one year after inking a one-year, US$550,000 free-agent contract with the Canucks on Canada Day back in 2009. But just as import for Rome was the chance to assume a more prominent role with the Stars.

“For us it was the opportunity and the chance to move on and the change of scenery was going to be good and to get three years commitment from a team and to be in a place for an extended period of time is good,” Rome said. “For our family it’s nice to have a little bit of security and we just had our second child, so it’s good.

“I’m just excited to go there. It hasn’t all really sunk in yet, but obviously it may be more of a role than I had in Vancouver. At times in Vancouver I had a big role, in the playoffs a couple of years ago and at times during last season. But for whatever reason, they felt they had to play other guys in front of me … so it will just be nice to get into a situation where you can play a little bit more and contribute a bit more on a consistent basis.”

The 6-foot-1, 225-pound graduate of the Southwest Cougars of the Manitoba AAA Midget Hockey League fired four goals and picked up 10 points and 46 penalty minutes in 43 games for the Canucks last season. A former five-year WHLer with the Saskatoon Blades, Kootenay Ice, Swift Current Broncos and Moose Jaw Warriors, Rome was originally drafted in the fourth round (104th overall) in 2002 by the Los Angeles Kings and has played in 174 career NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets and the Vancouver Canucks.

Rome will now play for one of the younger coaches in the league in Dallas bench boss Glen Gulutzan, a 40-year-old who played in the WHL with Brandon and Saskatoon.

“Obviously it’s a change moving from team to team and every coach has a different style and I’m just looking forward to getting in there and making a good impression and showing them what I can do and we’ll see what happens,” Rome said.

ICINGS: A number of former Brandon Wheat Kings have also signed deals on Canada Day weekend. In addition to rugged right-winger Jordin Tootoo signing a three-year, US$5.7-million contract with the Detroit Red Wings, former Wheat King captain Keith Aulie has agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning worth US$577,500 in the NHL or $65,000 in the AHL. Meanwhile, former Wheat King centre Codey Burki has inked a one-year deal with a one-year option to play for HC Lausanne in the Swiss Elite League.

» jshewaga@brandonsun.com