Aaron Rome Aaron Rome ( born September 27 , 1983 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He was originally selected out of the Western Hockey League ( WHL ) 104th overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings . Unsigned by the Kings , he joined the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim organization in 2004 , earning most of his playing time with their American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliates . In 2007 , he played one game with the Ducks during their Stanley Cup - winning playoff season . The following season , he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets , playing two seasons in the organization between the NHL and AHL . Becoming an unrestricted free agent in July 2009 , he signed with the Canucks and established himself as a regular in the team ' s lineup . Playing career . Junior . Rome played junior hockey in the Western Hockey League ( WHL ) from 1999 – 2004 . After debuting in one game for the Saskatoon Blades in 1998 – 99 , he registered 6 assists over 47 games in the following season . During his rookie WHL season , he played alongside older brother Reagan Rome as defensive partners for a short span ( Reagan played five games for Saskatoon in 1999 – 2000 before moving to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League ) . Three games into the 2000 – 01 season , Rome moved from Saskatoon to the Kootenay Ice and finished the season with 2 goals and 10 points . Rome began the 2001 – 02 season with another new WHL team , the Swift Current Broncos . Playing in his third major junior season , he improved to 7 goals and 31 points . In the off - season , Rome was selected by the Los Angeles Kings , 104th overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft . He was scouted as a stay - at - home defenceman with strong positioning and some offensive skills . Returning to Swift Current following his draft for the 2002 – 03 season , he recorded a junior career - high 12 goals and 56 points , ranking eighth among league defencemen in scoring . Late in the 2003 – 04 season , he was traded to his fourth WHL team , the Moose Jaw Warriors , where he joined his younger brother , Ashton Rome ( also a defenceman ) . Between Swift Current and Moose Jaw , he scored a combined 10 goals and 52 points over 69 games . Ranking third among WHL defencemen in point - scoring , he was named to the WHL East Second All - Star Team . Professional . Unsigned by the Kings two years after his NHL draft , he became a free agent in the 2004 off - season . On June 7 , 2004 , he was signed by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim . He began his professional career with Anaheim ' s minor league affiliate , the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the American Hockey League ( AHL ) in 2004 – 05 . During that season , he had a second opportunity to play with his brother , Reagan Rome , as the latter was called up from Cincinnati ' s ECHL affiliate , the Reading Royals , for two games . Playing 74 games in his rookie AHL season , he scored 2 goals and 16 points . He helped Cincinnati to the second round of the 2005 playoffs , adding 3 goals and 6 points over 12 post - season games . The following season , Anaheim ' s AHL affiliate was changed to the Portland Pirates and Rome began a two - and - a - half season stint with his new club . He improved to 24 points over 64 games in his second AHL season . During the 2006 - 07 season , Rome was called up to Anaheim and appeared in his first NHL game on January 2 , 2007 , a 2 – 1 loss against the Detroit Red Wings . Registering 14 minutes of ice time , he had a - 1 plus - minus rating and took one shot on goal . Completing the season with Portland , he tallied 25 points , including an AHL career - high 8 goals . He was recalled once more for the Ducks ' 2007 playoff run , appearing in one post - season game . The Ducks went on to win the Stanley Cup that year . As Rome did not play in the Stanley Cup Finals , he did not qualify to have his name engraved on the trophy . Anaheim did , however , award him a Stanley Cup ring , as well as the customary day spent with the trophy in the off - season . After beginning the 2007 – 08 season with the Pirates , Rome was traded from the Ducks to the Columbus Blue Jackets , along with Clay Wilson , for Geoff Platt , on November 15 , 2007 . Rome was assigned to the Blue Jackets ' AHL affiliate , the Syracuse Crunch , immediately following the trade . After appearing in 41 games with Syracuse , scoring 3 goals and 24 points , he was called up to Columbus on February 26 , 2008 . He scored his first NHL goal late in the season against goaltender Dominik Hasek , in a 3 – 2 loss against the Red Wings on April 3 , 2008 . After his first Blue Jackets training camp in September 2008 , Rome was placed on waivers . After clearing , he was assigned to start the season with Syracuse . He remained with the Crunch until February 2009 , when he was recalled by the Blue Jackets for the remainder of the 2008 – 09 season . He played eight games with the Blue Jackets , registering one assist . Over 48 games in the AHL , he notched 7 goals and 28 points . Rome remained with the Blue Jackets for the franchise ' s first playoff season in 2009 , competing in one game . Columbus was eliminated in the first round by Detroit . Rome became an unrestricted free agent in the subsequent off - season and was signed by the Vancouver Canucks on July 1 , 2009 , to a one - way , one - year contract worth $ 550 , 000 . He played the majority of the season with the Canucks , notching 4 assists in 49 games , while also appearing in 7 games with Vancouver ' s affiliate , the Manitoba Moose ; he scored 6 goals and 7 points in the AHL . During a three - game stint with the Canucks that season , he played forward for the first time in his career . He appeared in one playoff game for the Canucks in 2010 , missing nine games due to injury . In the off - season , Rome re - signed with Vancouver to a two - year , $ 1 . 5 million contract . He scored for the first time as a Canuck on March 29 , 2011 , an empty netter in a 3 – 1 win against the Nashville Predators . It was his first goal in 109 games . Rome finished the 2010 – 11 season with an NHL career - high 56 games with a goal and four assists . In the 2011 playoffs , he scored his first NHL post - season goal against Antti Niemi of the San Jose Sharks in Game 2 of the third round – a 7 – 3 win . The following game , he was injured off a boarding hit from Sharks forward Jamie McGinn . Rome was sidelined from the rest of the game ; McGinn received a five - minute penalty on the play , but did not receive further discipline from the league . In game three of the Stanley Cup Finals , Rome sent Boston forward Nathan Horton to the ice with a late hit . Horton sustained a severe concussion and was taken off the ice on a stretcher . Rome was ejected from the game after being assessed a five - minute major penalty for interference and a game misconduct . After a disciplinary hearing the next morning , Rome was assessed a four - game suspension and missed the remainder of the 2011 playoffs . While Rome and the Canucks maintained that it was a clean hit , the NHL determined that Rome hit Horton over a second after Horton gave up the puck . The NHL considers a hit to be late if it takes place more than half a second after a player loses possession . Personal life . Rome was born and raised in Nesbitt , Manitoba , a small community of less than 30 people . He was the third of four sons born to Dennis and Karen Rome . All four brothers played hockey and made it to the minor professional level ; Rome is the only one to compete in the NHL . Ashton Rome is the only other brother to be drafted into the NHL , selected 143rd overall in 2006 by the San Jose Sharks , and has played in the ECHL and AHL . Eldest brother Ryan Rome competed in the United ( UHL ) and Central Hockey League s ( CHL ) , while Reagan Rome has played in the ECHL , AHL and in Europe . Rome and his wife Adrianne have a son , Grayson . They spend their off - seasons in Brandon , Manitoba .