Colorado Mammoth captain and fan favorite Gavin Prout is gone, traded for a younger offensive threat, Ilija Gajic.
Prout’s No. 9, projected to one day hang from the Pepsi Center rafters next to Gary Gait’s No. 22, remains.
When the Mammoth faces off against Edmonton in its National Lacrosse League home opener on Jan. 16, Gajic will be wearing No. 9.
And the No. 9 for Edmonton will be Prout.
Let the debate begin over whether Colorado should have traded to unite Gajic with his brothers — Mammoth holdover Nenad Gajic and rookie Alex Gajic — or stayed with Prout, the 2006 Champion’s Cup MVP, whose production slipped for an injury-riddled offense the past two seasons.
“I was prepared to end my career in Colorado, whenever that would have been,” Prout said. “I loved it there. I had the utmost respect for the fans, the players and the coaches.”
Coming off a 7-9 mark, its only losing season in its seven-year history, Mammoth general manager Steve Govett turned to his British Columbia roots and crafted a younger, faster, more familial lineup.
Alex Gajic (pronounced Guytch), who left the University of Denver after his freshman season, provides size in the post at 6-feet-4, with quick hands to turn and shoot.
Fourth-year transition player Nenad Gajic is trying to shake two years of injuries to return to his all-rookie league form of 2007, when he scored 13 goals and made 24 assists.
Ilija Gajic, a junior who was dismissed from the DU team last spring on assault charges, had those charges dismissed and pleaded guilty to harassment. He was fined and spent six months on probation.
Ilija Gajic, 24, was drafted No. 2 overall by Rochester. After Govett traded Prout, 31, to the Knighthawks for Gajic, Rochester traded Prout to a conference foe, Edmonton.
With former phenom Dan Carey sidelined indefinitely by injury, the main holdover of the Mammoth offense is Brian Langtry, a 33-year-old unrelenting force who has made peace with losing Prout.
“It’ll take some wins,” Langtry said. “Once we start winning, they’ll forget about Gavin.
“I love Gavin. Don’t get me wrong, but he’s on the other team now.”
Ilija Gajic understands he’ll be forever linked with Prout.
“To be involved in a trade with Gavin Prout is an honor,” he said. “He’s an unbelievable fan favorite. I’ve watched him while I was at DU for three years.”
As for taking Prout’s number, he said: “That’s a weird circumstance, but I’ve had that number for a good four years now, back home and at DU.”
Third-year coach Bob McMahon appears well-suited to nurturing a young team, given his even temperament.
“It is going to take some time, but I think we’ll be pretty competitive most nights,” he said.
First faceoff is Saturday at the Stealth’s new home in Everett, Wash., a north Seattle suburb. The parents of the Gajic brothers, Lazo and Helen, will make the short drive from Burnaby, B.C., to see their sons’ Mammoth debut.
