Alex Auld facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alex Auld
Auld with the Boston Bruins in 2007
Born	(1981-01-07) January 7, 1981 (age 44) Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada
Height	6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight	223 lb (101 kg; 15 st 13 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Vancouver Canucks Florida Panthers Phoenix Coyotes Boston Bruins Ottawa Senators Dallas Stars New York Rangers Montreal Canadiens Red Bull Salzburg
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	40th overall, 1999 Florida Panthers
Playing career	2001–2013

Alexander James Auld (born January 7, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was a goaltender, which means he was the player who defends the net. Auld played for many teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), including the Vancouver Canucks and the Montreal Canadiens. He also played for Team Canada in international tournaments, like the World Junior Championships and the World Championships.

Alex Auld's Hockey Journey

Early Years in Hockey

Auld started playing hockey in his hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario. He was part of the Thunder Bay Kings program. On his team were other players who would later join the NHL, like Taylor Pyatt and Patrick Sharp. In 1997, their Kings team won a gold medal at the All Ontario Bantam AAA championships.

Junior Hockey Career

Auld began his junior hockey career with the North Bay Centennials in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) during the 1997–98 season. He played in six games that year. The next season, after playing 38 games, Auld was chosen by the Florida Panthers in the 1999 NHL entry draft. He was the 40th player picked overall.

Auld continued to play for the Centennials for two more seasons as their main goaltender. In his last junior season, he joined Team Canada for the 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He helped the team win a bronze medal. Later that season, Auld was traded to the Vancouver Canucks.

Becoming a Professional Player

Alex Auld playing for the Vancouver Canucks in 2005

Auld became a professional player in the 2001–02 season. He joined the Manitoba Moose, which was the Canucks' team in the American Hockey League (AHL). After an ankle injury, he played a few games for the Columbia Inferno in the East Coast Hockey League. His good play quickly moved him back to the AHL.

Auld got his first chance to play in the NHL on January 23, 2002. He helped the Canucks win 4–2 against the Dallas Stars. He then returned to the AHL. In the 2002–03 season, Auld played in seven NHL games when other goalies were injured. He even played one game in the Stanley Cup playoffs. On March 23, 2003, Auld got his first NHL shutout against the Washington Capitals. A shutout is when a goalie stops every shot and doesn't let the other team score any goals.

Stepping Up in Vancouver

In the 2003–04 season, Auld spent most of his time in the AHL. However, during the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Canucks' main goalie, Dan Cloutier, got injured. Auld took over as the starting goalie in Game 5 of their series against the Calgary Flames. He played very well, pushing the series to a deciding Game 7, though the Canucks eventually lost.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, when there were no NHL games, Auld played for the Manitoba Moose in the AHL again. He also played for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in December 2004, where Canada finished third.

Auld playing for the Dallas Stars

Auld returned to the NHL for the 2005–06 season as the backup goalie for the Canucks. When the main goalie, Dan Cloutier, had surgery for an injury, Auld became the starting goaltender for Vancouver. He played very well and was named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP), winning the Cyclone Taylor trophy. He also joined Team Canada for the 2006 World Championships, where they finished fourth.

Moving to Other NHL Teams

In June 2006, Auld was part of a big trade. He moved to the Florida Panthers. After one season with Florida, Auld signed a one-year contract with the Phoenix Coyotes in August 2007. He played nine games for Phoenix before being traded to the Boston Bruins in December 2007. He played well as a backup goalie for the Bruins.

On July 1, 2008, Auld signed a two-year contract with the Ottawa Senators. He almost got a shutout in his first game with the Senators. He played so well that he became the team's starting goalie for a while. In July 2009, Auld was traded to the Dallas Stars. He later played for the New York Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens.

Auld with the Senators in 2011

On July 1, 2011, Auld rejoined the Ottawa Senators for another season. After the 2011–12 season, Auld left the NHL. He signed with an Austrian team called Red Bull Salzburg in July 2012. He retired from playing hockey at the end of that season.

Playing for Team Canada

Auld played for Team Canada several times.

• In 2001, he helped the junior team win a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships.
• In 2004, he played for the senior team at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland, where they finished third.
• In 2006, he made his full international debut at the World Championships, where Canada finished fourth.

Life After Hockey

After retiring from playing, Alex Auld became a broadcaster. He now works for Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver, covering Canucks games on weekends.

Personal Life

Alex Auld was born in Cold Lake, Alberta. He grew up mostly in Thunder Bay, Ontario. His wife is Melanie Auld, who designs handbags and jewelry. They have two children and split their time between Vancouver and Thunder Bay.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

Awards and Honours

Alex Auld received several awards during his hockey career:

• OHL Second All-Rookie Team - 1999
• OHL Third All-Star Team - 2001
• Cyclone Taylor Trophy (Vancouver Canucks MVP) - 2006
• Molson Cup (Vancouver Canucks three-star selection leader) - 2006