Brandon Prust is known to drop the gloves on occasion. So, too, is Derek Dorsett.
After Wednesday’s trade that sent Zack Kassian to the Montreal Canadiens and Prust to the Vancouver Canucks, it’s possible both Prust and Dorsett are on the same line when the 2015-16 season begins, and that could make things interesting for opposing teams as well as for fans, who will surely have to keep an eye on both players when they’re on the ice.
Dorsett, acquired by the Canucks at the 2014 NHL Draft, had 17 fighting majors this past season, according to hockeyfights.com. The 31-year-old Prust had 16. Last season, while playing on different teams, Dorsett and Prust combined for 309 penalty minutes.
“Prust is going to supply us the toughness for our young kids so they don’t get pushed around,” Canucks general manager Jim Benning told TSN 1040 radio on July 1.
The addition of Prust should help ease the burden Dorsett faced last year as Vancouver’s tough guy, a role he accepted while also playing regular minutes as a bottom-six forward and establishing career highs in assists and points.
Prust on shouldering the fighting load with Dorsett: "I haven't had a ton of help either lately."
— Jason Brough 🙁 (@SadClubCommish) July 3, 2015
Of course, given their penchant for fighting, it seems only natural they’ve had a disagreement between them in the past.