Adrian Aucoin hesitated to sign a long-term contract with the Phoenix Coyotes.

ARTICLE TOOLS

• Printer friendly
• E-mail

Font:

• *
• *
• *
• *

After all, they could become the Hamilton Coyotes. Or the Kansas City Coyotes.

Maybe even the next incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets.

"I think it's why the deal ended up being one year," Aucoin said Thursday after inking a deal worth $2.25 million U. S. "I think it's pretty much set in stone that the team won't be moving this year. Then we'll take it as it comes."

Aucoin, 36, immediately fills the role of greybeard for the youthful Coyotes.

"I think it's going to be a good fit for me," said Aucoin, who figured he would have to move on after the Flames locked up Jay Bouwmeester.

"We've got a team where we're going to be working on the playoffs. That's a lot of fun. I think there's some young guys there, that I can work with and teach them the stuff Jimmy Playfair has taught me in Calgary."

Life as a professional hockey player in Phoenix promises to be a lot different to his day-to-day existence in puck-obsessed Calgary.

"Oh, I don't know about that," he said. "I'm good at blending in, even in hockey-hungry places. Maybe I just didn't notice people staring at me."

In 81 games last season Aucoin recorded 10 goals and 34 points.

"We lose some leadership in Adrian," said Flames defenceman Cory Sarich. "He's a good guy to have around the room. He's very loose. He keeps things exciting all the time."

On the draft floor last weekend, the Flames traded the negotiating rights to Jordan Leopold and a third-round pick to the Florida Panthers for the negotiating rights to Bouwmeester.

On Thursday, Leopold signed a one-year deal with the Panthers worth $1.75 million.

"I'm not glad to get it done, I'm pumped to get it done," Florida GM Randy Sexton told the Panthers official website. "We are absolutely ecstatic to have Jordan in Florida.

"Jordan turned down more money and longer terms from other teams to come and play here, and to me that's an incredibly genuine sign of how badly he wanted to play here."