The New Jersey Devils were forced to make a move today after taking most of their players off of injured reserve during the holiday roster freeze. Dalton Prout was the odd man out.
This comes as no surprise, but Dalton Prout was placed on waivers by the New Jersey Devils. The 27-year-old defenseman has played in just four games despite being healthy all season long. There just isn’t a spot for him on this roster.
Honestly, the best thing for all parties is probably if Prout gets claimed by another team. I’m not saying he has no value in the NHL, but he just isn’t a fit for the 2016-17 Devils. He isn’t particularly fast, and gets caught too often in the wrong position.
To his credit, Prout brings a hard-nosed attitude that many teams need. He puts 100 percent effort on every shift. Some teams with character issues could really use a player like that in the locker room. Thankfully, the Devils have other players who put that effort into every shift. Stefan Noesen, Brian Gibbons and Blake Coleman are all the same type of player who lifts up the team from the bottom half of the roster.
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Prout seems to be very well liked in the locker room. Every time there’s some kind of outing, whether it’s going to a WWE event or a team Halloween party, Prout is always invited. The players like having him around. That could do major dividends to many teams in the league.
If Prout doesn’t get claimed, he will head to Binghamton. The B-Devils have been up and down this season, and Prout can bring NHL experience to a defense that could use it.
At the end of the day, there was no other move for the Devils to make. They weren’t going to put Ben Lovejoy on waivers because when he’s been forced into the lineup, he hasn’t been a sieve. Also, his contract pays him much more than Prout’s. Jimmy Hayes and Drew Stafford bring much more on the ice than Prout does.
If he does go to Binghamton, at least we will soon be able to watch some great fights in a Devils uniform.