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Aaron Rome was signed in the summer of 2012 to provide some after the departure of Sheldon Souray as a free agent. He was billed as a defensive defensemen that wouldn't score a ton of points but would help provide some experience in the transition game, having played the type of system in Vancouver where the defense was a big part of the team's possession strategy. He projected to be a number six or number seven on defense and would face competition in camp to earn one of those spots, with Mark Fistric, Jordie Benn and Brenden Dillon all fighting for two spots on the blueline.
Rome and Fistric had a very similar game and skill set, which made it possible for the Dallas Stars to trade Fistric to Edmonton in return for a third round pick in this year's draft. They flipped an asset for a decent return while opening up space for the prospects to have a good shot at making the roster.
Out of training camp, Rome had a nagging groin injury that kept him out of the first week of the season. He suffered a foot injury at the end of February that would cause him to miss most of the games in March. Due to those injuries, Rome only ended up playing a little over half of the season this year and managed to record five assists in that span. He spent most of his time on ice at even strength and some penalty killing duties. In short, he did exactly what most expected of him this season.
Looking towards next year, the blueline for the Dallas Stars has the capability to be changed dramatically with the depth in Austin the team has acquired this year. One thing is certain, the Stars have some smaller sized puck moving defensemen in Dallas, and Rome's shutdown role along with his size is something the Stars don't have as much of on the NHL roster -- for now. That could change based on whether some of the defensive prospects are ready to make the jump to the big club and any moves the Stars make via trades or free agency this summer. Rome should still be an option to see time on the third pairing heading into next season, but there will be considerable competition for ice time.