RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes made their second trade in three days, sending defenseman Tim Gleason to the Toronto Maple Leafs for defenseman John-Michael Liles and the rights to defenseman Dennis Robertson in a transaction completed by the two clubs on Wednesday.
“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 team president and general manager Jim 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.”
As an alternate captain for the Hurricanes since the start of the 2010-11 season, 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 to North Carolina.
He currently ranks first among Carolina defensemen and second among all Hurricanes skaters in penalty minutes (495).
Gleason’s 87 assists with the team rank him 10th all-time among franchise defensemen, while his 100 points rank him 12th in that category.
Liles, 33, is in his 11th professional season and his third season with the Maple Leafs.
In six NHL games played with the Leafs this season he has recorded 15 hits, 10 blocked shots, and averaged 17:03 of ice time per game.
Liles has also skated in 16 games with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL), scoring three goals, tallying 10 assists (13 points) and compiling a plus-9 plus/minus rating.
Drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the fifth round (159th overall) of 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.
Liles was traded to Toronto from Colorado on June 24, 2011, in exchange for a 2012 second-round pick.
Overall, he has scored 77 goals and tallied 236 assists (313 points) in 627 NHL regular-season games played with both the Avalanche and the Maple Leafs.
Liles has represented the United States at two International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, and was a member of the United States National Team Development Program prior to playing four seasons at Michigan State from 1999-2003.
Robertson, 22, is in his senior season at Brown University and leads all defensemen with eight points (3g, 5a) in the Bears’ 12 games played 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, Second-Team All-Ivy in 2011 and 2012, and has scored 14 goals to go along with 47 assists (61 points) in 110 career collegiate games played with the Bears.
The Maple Leafs drafted Robertson in the sixth round (173rd overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.