Alex Auld is a Star

High on the Dallas Stars priority list heading into the off-season was acquiring a quality number two goalie who could provide some solid competition for veteran Marty Turco.

Even though he did win a respectable 33 games and posted a 2.81 GAA this past season many in the Stars organization including former coach Dave Tippett thought that the 33 year-old suffered from inconsistency and played to many games.

Turco who has played in three all-star games during his nine year career played in 74 games last season. After recently failing to sign Swedish goalie Jonas Gustavsson who is considered by many to be the best goalie outside of the NHL, Dallas went to plan B in acquiring veteran journeyman Alex Auld from the Ottawa Senators for a sixth round pick in 2010.

“Alex is a proven NHL veteran with a track record of success in this league,” Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said about Auld who went 16-18-1 with an impressive .911 save percentage and a 2.48 GAA.

“He has size and ability, and we expect him to be an excellent goaltender for us.”

With a highly skilled backup who owns a career 74-75-25 record in stints with the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Boston Bruins and Senators it is safe to say that Turco won’t have to repeat what happened last season when he started a franchise best 32 straight games.

New Stars coach Marc Crawford is very familiar with Auld from their days in Vancouver. In 2001/02, Auld who is from Thunder Bay Ontario began his NHL career under Crawford and a few years later in 2005/06 won 33 games and was eventually voted the Canucks MVP.

Kudos goes to Nieuwendyk on executing what will turn out to be an important acquisition.