Topic: Alex Auld

Alexander Auld (born January 7, 1981) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Auld has also played for the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators and Dallas Stars of the NHL. He has appeared internationally for Team Canada on three occasions – the 2001 World Junior Championships, the 2004 Spengler Cup, and the 2006 World Championships.

Auld played most of his minor hockey in his hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario with the Thunder Bay Kings program. He was a minor hockey teammate of future NHLers Taylor Pyatt and Jason Jaspers and their Kings team was runner-up in the All Ontario Bantam AAA championships in 1997 played in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Auld started his junior career with the North Bay Centennials of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) at the tail end of the 1997–98 season, appearing in six games without registering a win. After appearing in 38 games the following season, Auld was selected in the second round, 40th overall, of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, by the Florida Panthers. Auld would finish out his junior career with the Centennials, spending two more seasons as their starting netminder. In his final season, Auld was named to Team Canada for the 2001 World Juniors, where he backed up Maxime Ouellet. Later that same season, Auld was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for a third round pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft and a compensatory pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.