Playing career

Amateur

Prust played three seasons of major junior hockey with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). During his junior career, he won an OHL and Memorial Cup Championship. A Thorndale, Ontario, native, Prust was a walk-on during the Knights' open tryouts, having been bypassed in the OHL Priority Draft.

Professional

Prust was drafted by the Calgary Flames in third round, 70th overall, at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, where he was sent back down to London to play his final OHL season. After spending the following season with the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights, Prust made his NHL debut on November 1, 2006, against the Detroit Red Wings.

Prust suffered an injury during the 2008-09 season when he broke his jaw after being elbowed by Cam Janssen of the St. Louis Blues. On March 4, 2009, Prust was traded, along with Matthew Lombardi and a 2009 first-round draft pick, to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Olli Jokinen, and was then traded back to Calgary in exchange for Jim Vandermeer on June 27.

On February 1, 2010, Prust, along with Olli Jokinen, were traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for Aleš Kotalík and Chris Higgins. The Rangers re-signed Prust to a two-year, $1.6 million contract after the end of that season, 2009-10, on July 3.

In the 2010-11 season, Prust, a fourth-line utility player and occasional enforcer, was one of only seven NHL players to score at least ten goals as well as engage in at least ten fights. He was awarded the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award at the end of the season, given to the Rangers player who "goes above and beyond the call of duty" as voted on by the fans.

Prust also played as the Rangers faced the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic, which took place at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, on January 2, 2012. Prust posted two assists in a 3-2 Rangers win. Prust proved to be a valuable member of the Rangers' penalty kill during his tenure there.

Prust became a free agent at the end of the season and signed a four-year, $10 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens on July 1, 2012, lasting until 2016.

After the start of the lock-out-shortened 2012-13 season, Prust scored his first goal as a Canadien against Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils on January 27, 2013. Prust was awarded the Jacques-Beauchamp Trophy at the end of the regular season, an award voted on by the members of the media in Montreal to honour the team's unsung hero.

During the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals against his former team, the New York Rangers, Prust was suspended for two games following a hit on Rangers forward Derek Stepan during the first period of Game 3. Stepan suffered a broken jaw on the play and subsequently missed Game 4.

On July 1, 2015, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for Zack Kassian and Vancouver's 5th round draft pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. Prust struggled with the Canucks, putting up the fewest points since his rookie 2008-09 season. On Feb 2, 2016 he was sent down to the Canucks' AHL affiliate the Utica Comets after clearing waivers. On March 10, he returned to his home in London, ON, and was taken off the roster due to an ankle injury. He will become an unrestricted free agent as of July 1, 2016.

Personal life

Prust grew up in London, Ontario, where he attended Regina Mundi Catholic College. While there, he excelled in multiple sports, and was recognized as the outstanding student athlete in 2000-01 school year. The number 8 he wore with the Canadiens is the same number he wore as a football player in high school.

Prust has an uncle who was a Broadway actor. His interests other than hockey include golf and watching baseball.

Prust began dating Montrealer TV host Maripier Morin in 2010. On June 22, 2015, the couple got engaged.

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002-03	London Knights	OHL		65	12	17	29	94		14	2	1	3	21
2003-04	London Knights	OHL		64	19	33	52	269		15	7	13	20	33
2004-05	London Knights	OHL		48	10	20	30	174		15	3	5	8	71
2005-06	Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights	AHL		79	12	14	26	249		—	—	—	—	—
2006-07	Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights	AHL		63	17	10	27	211		6	0	3	3	20
2006-07	Calgary Flames	NHL		10	0	0	0	25		—	—	—	—	—
2007-08	Quad City Flames	AHL		79	10	27	37	248		—	—	—	—	—
2008-09	Calgary Flames	NHL		25	1	1	2	79		—	—	—	—	—
2008-09	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL		11	0	1	1	29		—	—	—	—	—
2009-10	Calgary Flames	NHL		43	1	4	5	98		—	—	—	—	—
2009-10	New York Rangers	NHL		26	4	5	9	65		—	—	—	—	—
2010-11	New York Rangers	NHL		82	13	16	29	160		5	0	1	1	4
2011-12	New York Rangers	NHL		82	5	12	17	156		19	1	1	2	31
2012-13	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		38	5	9	14	110		4	0	1	1	14
2013-14	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		52	6	7	13	121		13	0	2	2	32
2014-15	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		82	4	14	18	134		12	1	3	4	35
2015-16	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		35	1	6	7	59		—	—	—	—	—
2015-16	Utica Comets	AHL		9	1	6	7	5		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				486	40	75	115	1036		53	2	8	10	116

[ Source: Wikipedia ]