Brandon Prust has been a controversial figure on social media since his retirement, often times outspoken with opinions that go against the grain. But it’s hard to argue his popularity while he was with the Montreal Canadiens.
On July 1, 2012, Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin made his first splash in free agency by signing Prust to a four-year contract with a total value of $10 million. Bergevin specifically sought out Prust in order to bring grit to the Canadiens, and grit Prust brought. The three-years he spent in Montreal all rank as the team’s top three for most penalty minutes taken in a season in the Bergevin era, (2014-15: 134 minutes, 2013-14: 121 minutes, 2012-13: 110 minutes).