Rob The Hockey Guy

Aaron Rome is experiencing a phenomenon that only Jeff Cowan and Rory Fitzpatrick can relate to right now. Aaron Rome Mania has swept Canuck Nation. Rome returned from injury last week and played his first four games of the season. In those four games the Canucks have gone 3-1 and Rome has 3 goals and 2 assists!

Five points in four games usually isn’t something that will spawn a frenzy among fans, except for the fact that it’s Aaron freaking Rome doing it! You see, Rome had 5 points all of last season. His only goal of the regular season was into an empty net, needing Henrik Sedin to do some curling style sweeping for it to cross the line. In fact, Rome had only one non-empty net goal in his previous 133 regular season games before this unforeseen outburst. That goal came all the way back on April 3rd, 2008 when he was a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Aaron Rome Mania is so big, that now there’s a Rory Fitzpatrick style movement to get him into the all star game (search #vote4Rome on Twitter for evidence). If he continues this play, no campaigning or ballet box stuffing will be needed, he’ll be added to the team on merit.

It’s a rare moment for a journeyman stay-at-home defenceman. Rome is getting all sorts of press and even getting power play time!

Rome’s offensive numbers aren’t likely to continue, but I’m really impressed by the way he’s playing, and how he played in the playoffs last season. We didn’t know it at the time, but losing him to suspension in the Stanley Cup final turned out to be a more significant turn of events than most thought. I’m sure the suspension hit him hard and this summer might have been harder on him than most. For now, he’s got something to feel good about.