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Two teams exchanged under-performing defensemen today as the Carolina Hurricanes sent Tim Gleason to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for John-Michael Liles and prospect Dennis Robertson.
Gleason was the team's alternate captain and at one time was considered a part of the core of the club, but injuries slowed him down and the development of Brett Bellemore made him expendable.
Liles had fallen into the doghouse of coach Randy Carlisle and had been a healthy scratch in recent games. He has played in just six games so far this season.
Both players have contracts that are valid for two more years after this one. Liles' cap hit is slightly less than Gleason's, $3,875,000 to $4,000,000.
We will have more about this, along with a poll a bit later. The team's release follows:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Jan. 1, 2014
‘CANES ACQUIRE LILES, ROBERTSON FROM TORONTO
Carolina sends Tim Gleason to Maple Leafs in defenseman swap
RALEIGH, NC – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has acquired defenseman John-Michael Liles from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Tim Gleason. The Hurricanes also receive the rights to defenseman Dennis Robertson from Toronto as part of the deal.
"John-Michael is a puck-moving defenseman who has demonstrated in his career that he can make a difference offensively from the blue line," said Rutherford.
"Tim has been a valuable player and leader for the Hurricanes for a long time. We thank him for the contributions he has made to the team and the community and wish him all the best as his career continues."
Liles, 33, is in his 11th professional season and his third season with the Maple Leafs. In six NHL games this season, he has recorded 15 hits, 10 blocked shots and averaged 17:03 of ice time per game. The Indianapolis, IN, native has also skated in 16 games with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL), scoring three goals, earning 10 assists (13 points) and compiling a plus-9 plus/minus rating.
The Colorado Avalanche drafted Liles (5’10", 185 lbs.) in the fifth round, 159th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team following the 2003-04 season when he scored 10 goals and earned 24 assists (34 points) in 79 games with the Avalanche. On June 24, 2011, he was traded to Toronto by Colorado in exchange for a 2012 second-round pick. Liles has notched 77 goals and earned 236 assists (313 points) in 627 NHL regular-season games with the Avalanche and the Maple Leafs. He was a member of the United States National Team Development Program prior to playing four seasons at Michigan State from 1999-2003. Liles has represented the United States at two International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games.
Robertson, 22, is in his senior season at Brown University and leads club defensemen with eight points (3g, 5a) in the Bears’ 12 games this season. The Ft. St. John, BC, native is in his second season as Brown’s captain, and earned First-Team All-Ivy honors in 2013. Robertson (6’1", 215 lbs.) was named ECAC All-Rookie in 2011, and Second-Team All-Ivy in 2011 and 2012, and has scored 14 goals and earned 47 assists (61 points) in 110 career collegiate games with the Bears. The Maple Leafs drafted Robertson in the sixth round, 173rd overall, in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Gleason leaves Carolina ranked third in games played (491), fourth in assists (87) and sixth in points (100) among club defensemen since the team’s relocation. He ranks first among Carolina defensemen and second among all Hurricanes skaters in penalty minutes (495) since the team’s relocation. Gleason’s 87 assists with the team rank 10th all-time among franchise defensemen, and his 100 points rank him 12th in that category. He has served as an alternate captain for the Hurricanes since the start of the 2010-11 season.
The Hurricanes begin a two-game road trip on Thursday at Washington (7 p.m., FOX Sports Carolinas, Hurricanes Radio Network). After Saturday’s game on Long Island against the New York Islanders, the Hurricanes will return to Raleigh to host Nashville on Sunday. Individual-game tickets for all Hurricanes regular-season games are on sale at the PNC Arena Box Office and via Ticketmaster. For information on Hurricanes ticket packages, please call 1-866-NHL-CANES, or visit www.CarolinaHurricanes.com.
JOHN-MICHAEL LILES’ CAREER STATISTICS
REGULAR SEASON PLAYOFFS YEAR TEAM
LGE GP G A PTS PIM GP G A PTS PIM 1997-98 USNTDP
U-17 15 0 6 6 4 - - - - - USNTDP
USHL 5 0 1 1 0 - - - - - USNTDP
NAHL 42 4 7 11 40 5 2 0 2 0 1998-99 USNTDP
USHL 46 4 14 18 47 - - - - - USNTDP
NAHL 13 2 5 7 6 - - - - - 1999-00 Michigan State CCHA
40 8 20 28 26 - - - - - 2000-01 Michigan State CCHA
42 7 18 25 28 - - - - - 2001-02 Michigan State CCHA
41 13 22 35 18 - - - - - 2002-03 Michigan State CCHA
39 16 34 50 46 - - - - - Hershey
AHL 5 0 1 1 4 5 0 0 0 2 2003-04 Colorado
NHL 79 10 24 34 28 11 0 1 1 4 2004-05 Iserlohn
Germany 17 5 6 11 24 - - - - - 2005-06 Colorado
NHL 82 14 35 49 44 9 1 2 3 6 United States Olympics
6 0 2 2 2 - - - - - 2006-07 Colorado
NHL 71 14 30 44 24 - - - - - 2007-08 Colorado
NHL 81 6 26 32 26 10 2 3 5 2 2008-09 Colorado
NHL 75 12 27 39 31 - - - - - 2009-10 Colorado
NHL 59 6 25 31 30 6 1 1 2 4 2010-11 Colorado
NHL 76 6 40 46 35 - - - - - 2011-12 Toronto
NHL 66 7 20 27 20 - - - - - 2012-13 Toronto
NHL 32 2 9 11 4 4 0 0 0 2 2013-14 Toronto
NHL 6 0 0 0 0 - - - - - Toronto
AHL 16 3 10 13 14 - - - - - NHL Totals (10 Seasons)
627 77 236 313 242 40 4 7 11 18
DENNIS ROBERTSON’S CAREER STATISTICS
REGULAR SEASON PLAYOFFS YEAR TEAM
LGE GP G A PTS PIM GP G A PTS PIM 2008-09 Langley
BCHL 55 1 11 12 64 4 0 1 1 4 2009-10 Langley
BCHL 53 9 25 34 83 10 2 2 4 14 2010-11 Brown Univ. ECAC
30 6 11 17 48 - - - - - 2011-12 Brown Univ. ECAC
32 2 14 16 72 - - - - - 2012-13 Brown Univ. ECAC
36 3 17 20 69 - - - - - 2013-14 Brown Univ. ECAC
12 3 5 8 39 - - - - -
ECAC Totals (4 seasons)
110 14 47 61 228 - - - - -