The New Jersey Devils have traded defenseman Kyle Quincey to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Dalton Prout, TSN’s Darren Dreger announced Wednesday. The Blue Jackets are getting a rental in Quincey who should solidify their defensive group for a potentially deep playoff run. The Devils are getting a 26-year-old Prout who is five years younger than Quincey and is under contract through the 2017-18 season.
Quincey to Columbus
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 1, 2017
Quincey has scored four goals and 12 points in 53 games this season. He’s ben a solid player throughout his career and should come in and help a young Blue Jackets blueline that features Zach Werenski, Seth Jones and Ryan Murray. The Blue Jackets also have Jack Johnson, David Savard and Markus Nutivaara. Quincey has playoff experience, having played in the postseasons in each of the last five seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.
Experience for Potential
The 32-year-old defender was originally drafted in the fourth round by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft before finding himself with the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche from 2008 until 2011-12. Quincey was actually traded twice at the deadline in 2012, being moved to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and then back to the Red Wings within 30 minutes.
For the Devils, they traded away a pending unrestricted free agent to give him a chance to compete in the postseason with the Blue Jackets. They also received Prout in the deal, who is a former sixth-round draft pick of the Blue Jackets. He’s still only 26 years old but has seen his play time dwindle in Columbus as of late, finding himself in and out of the lineup. At 6 foot 3 and 230 pounds, however, the Devils are getting a very large defenseman who could provide a more physical attribute to their team that is sitting in the 23rd spot in the league standings.
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