Columbus Blue Jackets: Surgery Could Keep Dalton Prout Off the Ice for Start of Season

By Sam Ingro Senior Writer After an unsuccessful five-game foray into the National Hockey League during the 2011-2012 season, Blue Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout was sent down to the AHL’s Springfield Falcons to work on his game. While there, he began to excel and develop into the player Columbus knew he could become. Last season, the team recalled Prout late in February. The Jackets’ faith in Prout was quickly rewarded. In 28 games, he posted one goal, six assists and an impressive plus-15 rating. That rating was good enough to be second-best among all National Hockey League rookie defenseman, good for 25th in the league and tops on the team. Had he been able to start the season and compete at that level over the course of the year, he could very well have been a Calder Trophy candidate. This season, the team is expecting him to be a solid member of their blue line unit, but that idea is going to have to wait a little longer. Prout underwent abdominal surgery last Thursday, and wi...