The Calgary Flames added some defensive depth when they signed Dalton Prout to one-year, $800K extension. The 28-year-old Prout was acquired in late December from New Jersey for veteran goaltender Eddie Lack, but never played a game for the Flames last year, as he ended up being outrighted to the Stockton Heat of the AHL instead.
Prout adds much needed depth to the team’s blueline as the team only has four defensemen under contract at the moment in Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic and Michael Stone. The team also has two restricted free agents in Noah Hanifin and Brett Kulak to round out the top six. However, while the team has a number of talented defensive prospects that could be ready to play for Calgary this year such as Rasmus Andersson and 2017 first-rounder Juuso Valimaki, Oliver Kylington and Josh Healey, the addition of a veteran, who could be the team’s seventh-defenseman is a great insurance policy if a youngster doesn’t impress in training camp.
Prout, who was placed on waivers almost immediately after being acquired from the Devils, played 34 games for the Stockton Heat, posting two goals, nine points and 44 penalty minutes. He only played four games for the Devils last season. He hasn’t played a regular defensive role in the NHL since the 2015-16 season when he played 64 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets.