Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: chris+pronger
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 10/09/09 at 05:16 PM ET
Comments (8)
“I think just with the tradition of this organization and the way that they’ve played over the years and the style of play that they want to play, I think I do fit into this culture and the system very well.
“It’s tailor-made for my style of play and I’m pretty excited.”
-Chris Pronger talking about playing for the Flyers. More from Helene Elliott at the Fabulous Forum.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Have The Ducks Lost Their Identity?
by Paul on 10/04/09 at 09:39 AM ET
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from Mark Whicker of the OC Register,
He was the elephant in the room, although he looked more like a giraffe.
Really, Chris Pronger was, and is, one of those mythical combo beasts, taller than any hockey player anyone had seen, with nostrils of fire, a cold stare, a shortage of remorse.
“When he walked in,” Todd Marchant said Friday, “you knew he was there.”
“Sure, he was intimidating,” Ryan Carter said. “I used to play him in video games. Now all of a sudden I’m on the ice and he’s playing behind me, and I’m thinking, boy, I better not mess this up.”
Now some 22-year-old in Philadelphia is feeling those feelings, hearing those gibes, dressing in a room where much of the air is taken up by the beast.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Is Pronger The Missing Link?
by Paul on 10/01/09 at 03:29 PM ET
Comments (9)
from Tim Panaccio of CSNPhilly,
There have been several missing links for the Flyers in their quest to win that ever-elusive third Cup. One was in goal. The other was a punishing defenseman, one who strikes fear into the hearts of wingers coming across the blue line.
If the Flyers are going to unseat reigning Cup champion Pittsburgh as “Beast of the East” this season, they will need Pronger’s on-ice demeanor and off-ice attitude to accomplish the task.
You see, the Flyers of recent past – even under Ken Hitchcock – took losing far too casually. They failed to see the impact of today’s mistakes on tomorrow’s expectations.
Pronger doesn’t.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Pronger Contract Under Review Too
by Paul on 07/31/09 at 01:22 PM ET
Comments (16)
from Craig Custance of the Sporting News,
Marian Hossa’ contract isn’t the only one being scrutinized by the NHL. An NHL source told SportingNews.com that the league is investigating Philadelphia’s 7-year deal with Chris Pronger to see if it circumvented the CBA and salary cap.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed the investigation of Pronger’s contract in an e-mail to SportingNews.com.
Daly said Pronger’s contract was being investigated for the same reasons as Hossa’s deal.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
All Pronger
by Paul on 07/30/09 at 03:29 PM ET
Comments (0)
Pronger recently chatted with Sporting News Today hockey writer Craig Custance about his work with the NHLPA, his fit in Philadelphia and facing Sidney Crosby.
Q: While we were covering your playoff series against Detroit, somebody pointed out that they thought you toned down your game. Has there been an evolution in your style of play as you’ve gotten older?
A: No, I don’t think so. There’s a time and place for a lot of things. I had a shorter temper but you mature, get older, have kids and you understand yourself a little better – what buttons to push, what buttons not to push and things of that nature. You are going to evolve, learn how to play the game better....
Q: One of your jobs will be to make life tougher on Sidney Crosby in front of the net. Will you be sending a message to Sidney the first time you play the Penguins?
A: I don’t know, I don’t [send messages] most of the time - sometimes I do. Most of the time, it’s my job to clear the front of the net and let the goalie see the puck - whether it’s [Crosby] or whoever. I don’t need to tell you what I’m going to do or if I’m going to send a message, that’s how I play....
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Pronger Contract Talk
by Paul on 07/08/09 at 06:55 AM ET
Comments (1)
I know this was a hot topic on the web yesterday and now it looks like we have an answer…
Elliotte Friedman of HNIC and co-hosting Fan590 morning show this week contacted Bill Daly this morning. Daly said even if Pronger retires before his contract expires, his cap figure will remain on the books for the Flyers.
Check out Elliotte’s Twitter for a bit more…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Pronger Signs Extension With Flyers
by Paul on 07/07/09 at 03:52 PM ET
Comments (14)
from Sportsnet,
The agent for Chris Pronger told Sportsnet that his client has signed a seven-year contract extension that will likely see the defenceman finish his career in Philadelphia.
The confirmation will come down later Tuesday.
The extension is front-loaded to lower the salary cap hit, and is rumoured to be worth $35 million, or five million per season.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Flyers Take A Chance With Pronger Signing
by Paul on 07/07/09 at 07:40 AM ET
Comments (3)
from Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer,
The Flyers prefer to characterize the draft-day move as the opportunity to add a future Hall of Fame player who will solidify the back line for seasons to come. That might be exactly how it will turn out, too, but the stakes and the measuring stick for the Flyers remains as always: Cup or nothing.
And with that, the clock is ticking.
It is ticking because the Flyers paid an enormous price to acquire him, sending away two first-round picks, and - by including talented 19-year-old defenseman Luca Sbisa - the equivalent of a third first-rounder.
Three years from now, if the Pronger acquisition has not produced a Stanley Cup, the talent gap left by dealing those three top picks has the potential to leave some holes on the roster.
As it is, there are a few holes the Flyers will have to plug in the short term, too. Losing Joffrey Lupul in the trade and forward Mike Knuble because the team couldn’t afford to keep him will provide for some challenges on the scoring lines, particularly at right wing.
But those are the chances the Flyers have taken, with the future and with the present. And, for all the right reasons, those were the correct chances to take.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Watch Pronger
by Paul on 07/06/09 at 08:50 AM ET
Comments (2)
Heck, a very slow news day so far, so why not watch Chris Pronger live today?
Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger will meet with the media today at noon. The press conference will be streamed live here on philadelphiaflyers.com. Also taking part will be Ed Snider, Peter Luukko and Paul Holmgren.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: chris+pronger,
Pronger Too Good To Pass Up
by Paul on 07/03/09 at 08:45 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer,
So what happened in three years to make the Flyers change Ed Snider’s philosophy and mortgage the future for soon-to-be-35-year-old Chris Pronger?…
“If it was just a normal veteran, we would not have given up youth for that,” Snider said the other night. “But it was Pronger.”
Snider, 76, said it with the reverence usually saved for a Sinatra, a Streep, or a Springsteen.
“He’s not a typical veteran,” Snider added. “He’s one of the greatest players of all time, and we could not turn it down because we needed him desperately.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Be Prepared For Pronger
by Paul on 06/30/09 at 07:34 AM ET
Comments (2)
from Stan Fischler of Game On,
If they were the Broad Street Bullies before, the acquisition of Chris Pronger from Anaheim has turned them into the BROAD STREET BULLIES now.
This should inspire thought—if not concern—among the Rangers, Islanders and Devils; not to mention all points north and south.
Let’s not kid ourselves; this Incredible Hulk called Pronger is an unholy terror....
his was an incident last season in Anaheim; Devils vs. Ducks with only a couple of seconds left in a game long ago decided.
New Jersey’s ace, Zach Parise knew that the final buzzer was about to sound and let down his guard.
He did not bargain for Pronger who emerged from behind and delivered a devastating—as dirty as can be—crosscheck that felled the unsuspecting Devil.
Parise survived the blow—don’t ask me how—and Pronger escaped without a penalty, but that’s not the issue, although that is Pronger’s specialty.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Pronger- Mr. Misunderstood
by Paul on 06/29/09 at 10:57 AM ET
Comments (16)
from Dan Wood of Ducks Blog at the OC Register,
Booed mercilessly in nearly every NHL arena except his own, Pronger is perhaps the league’s most misunderstood individual. Certainly, he has crossed the line at times, as eight career suspensions attest, but fans who are convinced that Pronger is nothing but evil are severely misguided.
Pronger himself often fuels the perception that he is a bad guy, perhaps as something of a defense mechanism and undoubtedly to place further fear into the heads of opponents. Brief interactions with Pronger can definitely leave the wrong impression, as evidenced by an incident after one Ducks road game against the Minnesota Wild.
With a collection of reporters nearby, Pronger loudly stated that anyone interested should gather around because he was going to speak only once. Those who knew him thought nothing of it. It was just Pronger being Pronger.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Flyers Get Their Hammer
by Paul on 06/27/09 at 09:42 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Kevin Kurz of PhiladelphiaFlyers.com,
“I made it sort of clear [and the end of the season] I would like to get a hammer, a guy who makes life miserable for the other team. This is one of those guys,” said the general manager. “I think we’ve made some strides in terms of revamping our defense over the last few years. You put Chris in our mix, and it makes our defense a good group.”
Pronger, who admitted he was not shocked at the trade, also thinks he will fit in perfectly with his new team.
“The style of the play that the Flyers have been known to play certainly fits my game,” he said via conference call. “They’ve got some great young talent and I hope to help not only develop the team into being one of the top teams in the league, but winning a Stanley Cup. I think that’s why we all play the game, is to win, and certainly the Stanley Cup is the pinnacle for our sport.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Chicago Had Interest In Pronger
by Paul on 06/27/09 at 09:20 AM ET
Comments (2)
from Tim Sassone of Between
The Circles at the Chicago Daily-Herald, “We talked and the price was a little too stiff for us to pay,” Tallon said. “It would have been some good prospects and some players off our roster. We weren’t willing to overpay for him. We like him and he’s a great player, but we want to make a commitment to our core players.”
That’s fine, but then Tallon said, “Philadelphia obviously feels they’re close.”
Wait a second. Aren’t the Hawks close too? The rebuilding is over. This is a 104-point team that went to the West finals and the goal should be winning a Stanley Cup next season because nobody knows what the shelf life of this group will be. Even if it might have cost two No. 1 picks and perhaps Niklas Hjalmarsson and another prospect, missing out on Pronger was not a good start to the off-season.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Take Notice Pittsburgh
by Paul on 06/26/09 at 09:47 PM ET
Comments (21)
from Craig Custance of the Sporting News,
Paul Holmgren knows he gave up a lot. To get Chris Pronger from Anaheim, Philadelphia surrendered promising young defenseman Luca Sbisa, Joffrey Lupul, two first-round picks and a third round pick.
“Ask me a year from now, a couple years from now if it was worth that,” Holmgren said here at the draft in Montreal.
But in acquiring Pronger, he served notice to the Pittsburgh Penguins that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s days of roaming free in front of Philadelphia goalies are over. In Pronger, they now have that nasty defenseman who will make it miserable on the Penguins and everybody else the Flyers play next season. Holmgren wouldn’t call him the missing piece, but his style of play was certainly something the Flyers didn’t have. Now they do.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
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Ducks/Flyers Work Out a Pronger Trade
by Paul on 06/26/09 at 07:13 PM ET
Comments (25)
via Darren Dreger’s Twitter,
Ducks and Flyers in serious discussion over Chris Pronger.
added 7:09pm, via TSN,
The Anaheim Ducks have traded defenceman Chris Pronger to the Philadelphia Flyers.
no mention of any names yet, but check the link soon…
Update 7:16pm: From Patrick Williams at the Draft for Kukla’s Korner today --
Also, there is talk circulating that Philadelphia’s Joffrey Lupul is heading back to Anaheim. It is not known whether Pronger and Lupul are part of separate deals, however.
added 7:22pm, From Erin Nicks at the Draft for KK,
Risers chattering excitedly about the Pronger-to-Philly trade. Questions abound about how he will get along with notorious loose cannon Ray Emery, and whether we’re on our way to seeing the Broad Street Bullies, v. 2.0.
added 7:35pm, Anaheim gets Lupul, Sbisa and 2 firsts.
*original post time 6:36 ET
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Ducks GM Denies Pronger Trade Rumors
by Alanah McGinley on 06/12/09 at 04:12 PM ET
Comments (0)
From Eric Duhatschek at the Globe & Mail:
There is some compelling logic behind the possible move – of the Anaheim Ducks’ Chris Pronger moving to the Los Angeles Kings for Jack Johnson plus a No. 1 draft choice, speculation that was making the rounds Friday prior to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final. After all, the Ducks may ultimately need to trade Pronger to get to the $46-million (U.S.) budget that they’ll operate with next year. If they can coax Scott Niedermayer back to play again and can’t trade J.S. Giguere’s contract, it may be an option they have to look at.
But for now, the official word from Ducks’ GM Bob Murray, in a short but pointed e-mail note, is that it did not happen. In fact, Murray texted back a NO (caps his), when asked if there was any truth to the report.
Certainly, there can be no official deal anyway between teams until the Stanley Cup is won tonight.
Update 4:50pm ET: From Greg Wyshynski at Puck Daddy, more on the source of these rumors, plus the Kings’ denial:
Steve Ludzik of The Score in Canada is putting it on the line this afternoon by reporting that “the Anaheim Ducks have traded defenseman Chris Pronger(notes) to the Los Angeles Kings for D Jack Johnson(notes) and the 5th overall pick in the upcoming draft.”
Chasing the story, Rich Hammond of Inside The Kings has received a text message from Kings GM Dean Lombardi that simply said, “Rumors not true.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: chris+pronger, jack+johnson,
Blues Should Wait On Pronger
by Paul on 05/17/09 at 04:02 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Jeff Gordon of the Hockey Guy at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch,
If the Ducks don’t want to sign Chris Pronger to a contract extension, the Blues should wait a year and take their chances in free agency.
In a year, the Blues will be positioned to invest in another veteran player. Jay McKee and Paul Kariya will be headed to free agency, giving the Blues the option to reallocate some or all of that $10 million. (Moving either guy before then will be difficult, given their high pay.)
In a year, the Blues could free up lots of salary cap room while other teams face severe cap crises.
In a year, the Blues will know what they have in Alex Pietrangelo – a potential power-play quarterback currently lacking the strength to play at this level.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Blues | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Dirtiest Guys in the NHL According to Other Players
by Alanah McGinley on 05/05/09 at 03:03 PM ET
Comments (12)
From TSN:
Chris Pronger and Steve Ott are the dirtiest players in the National Hockey League, according to a survey of their fellow players.
A Sports Illustrated poll of 324 players that is to appear in this week’s issue has Anaheim Ducks defenceman Pronger and Dallas Stars forward Ott in a tie, each chosen by 13 per cent of their peers.
Jarkko Ruutu of the Ottawa Senators was third at 12 per cent, with Sean Avery of the New York Rangers fourth at 10 per cent, followed by Scott Hartnell of the Philadelphia Flyers at five per cent.
Update 3:11pm ET: From the Detroit Free Press, Chris Pronger responds --
Told of the survey results this morning, Pronger laughed and said he disagreed.
“That’s their prerogative,” he said, adding that it didn’t surprise him he won. “There’s always a lot of whining out on the ice,” he said.
Pronger said it was possibly based more on his past than his present (he has only six penalty minutes in the 2009 playoffs, for example – none of them against Detroit).
Filed in: NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: chris+pronger, steve+ott,
Pronger On Oil
by Paul on 03/20/09 at 04:20 PM ET
Comments (1)
An Edmonton artist is auctioning a painting he did of Chris Pronger.
David Staples of The Cult of Hockey has the story.
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Pronger Off The Market
by Paul on 03/04/09 at 07:36 AM ET
Comments (3)
via Mike Brophy of Sportsnet,
Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray informed Chris Pronger and his agent Pat Morris his intention is not to move the all-star defenceman at the deadline, according to Sportsnet sources.
With the uncertainty over whether Scott Niedermayer will retire after this season, it’s believed Murray will hold off making further decisions on Pronger until the draft in Montreal in June.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Hawks Should Be Looking at Pronger
by Alanah McGinley on 03/02/09 at 02:04 PM ET
Comments (5)
From the RosenBlog at the Chicago Tribune:
But still, this is a deal the Hawks have to press for. San Jose is looking at him, too, yet another reason the Hawks must make this happen.
The Hawks brought up Jack Skille for obvious trade showcasing and they also have some depth at young defensemen that should interest the Ducks, who apparently realized the window’s closed, they got their ring, time to reload.
The Hawks have made it clear that winning the Cup is why they’re here. From Rocky Wirtz and John McDonough on down, the object of the exercise is to win the Cup. NOW.
[Chris] Pronger would get this team closer than anyone might’ve believed. And whoa, look who’s coming into the United Center for a game Tuesday.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: chris+pronger,
Imagine Pronger & Chara Together
by Paul on 03/02/09 at 08:29 AM ET
Comments (3)
from Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun,
Whatever fate awaits Pronger, any trade that would send the former Hart Trophy winner to Boston is among the top deals we’d like to see completed.
If you really love the sport, wouldn’t you want to witness the spectacle of Pronger and Zdeno Chara playing together on defence?
Pronger is 6-foot-6. Chara is 6-foot-8. Put them together, and you have 158 inches of the most intimidating defensive pairing the NHL may ever have seen.
Not since Larry Robinson and Gilles Lupien manned the blue line for the Montreal Canadiens would there have been such a towering duo on defence.
Eastern Conference rivals Montreal and Washington play a more finesse game and would find it difficult to deal with the combined muscle provided by Chara and Pronger, especially in a playoff series.
more and other hockey notes…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Imagine The Boston ‘D’
by Paul on 03/01/09 at 07:22 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Larry Brooks of the NY Post,
No GM is under more pressure confronting Wednesday’s trade deadline than Boston’s Peter Chiarelli, who must properly calculate the risk/reward ratio of potentially jeopardizing the chemistry of his conference-leading Bruins by acquiring difference-maker Chris Pronger at the cost of a package that would surely feature Phil Kessel.
The temptation to unite Pronger ($6.5M per through next season) with Zdeno Chara on what is now a somewhat suspect defense must be overwhelming. One or the other would be on the ice essentially all game, every game. They could form a last-minute shutdown pair....
Blair Betts, a pending unrestricted free agent whose role will apparently change dramatically under the new regime and who has value to a contender as a dependable checker and penalty-killer, is likely available. Detroit is believed to have interest.
more trade and hockey topics…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Boston Bruins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Oh Those Rumors…, But…
by Paul on 02/28/09 at 04:50 PM ET
Comments (2)
from Helene Elliott of the LA Times,
Most are the product of fertile imaginations and throwing mud at the wall, but some have a nugget of logic behind them.
Here’s one we’ve heard and believe:
The Ducks will send defenseman Chris Pronger and left wing Travis Moen to the Boston Bruins for defenseman Mark Stuart, 6-foot-5 center Joe Colborne (currently at Denver University) and a first-round draft pick.
Why this makes sense:
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
More Pronger To Boston Talk
by Paul on 02/27/09 at 08:39 AM ET
Comments (8)
from Stephen Harris of the Boston Herald,
If you believe what you hear from various NHL sources, you can bet the Bruins [team stats] had many sets of eyes trained last night on Anaheim Ducks defenseman Chris Pronger....
Last night, Pronger played 25:42 and, as usual, was a classy all-round blueliner: Graceful and poised, using his long reach to good effect, moving the puck well, jumping up with the attack from time to time....
“The chatter is increasing,” said B’s general manager Peter Chiarelli, “but I’m not getting any closer to doing anything. I don’t want to subtract anything from our team. I like our team and I like the chemistry.”
Notice he said he doesn’t want to subtract players. He didn’t say he wouldn’t do it. Chiarelli is understandably loath to part with a young talent like Kessel, a 21-year-old with the potential to be a 50-goal superstar.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Best Guess- Pronger Won’t Be Traded This Season
by Paul on 02/24/09 at 09:23 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Kevin Allen of Mucking and Grinding,
My best guess is that the Ducks won’t trade Pronger at the deadline, simply because if they do decide to trade him, they could get a better package this summer.
The Ducks’ issue seems to be that they are being handcuffed by their salary cap, and they need to move one of their major breadwinners to ease their pressure.
Two seasons ago, the Ducks paid more than $13 million for Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger and they won a Stanley Cup. Have they now decided they can’t afford both?
It doesn’t seem as if the Ducks know yet whether Niedermayer is coming back.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Wonder How This Will Play Out?
by Paul on 02/20/09 at 02:28 PM ET
Comments (12)
from Adam Brady at AnaheimDucks.com,
Meanwhile, from the Incredibly Awkward Department, Chris Pronger will be playing his 1,000th game tonight and may become the first player in NHL history to be soundly booed when the achievement is recognized tonight. The Red Wings have indicated they will pay tribute to the milestone during the first TV timeout.
more on the Ducks…
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Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Evening Line
by Paul on 02/13/09 at 05:56 PM ET
Comments (3)
“Well without beating around the bush i will get straight ot the point. There have been many, many trade rumors regarding my name over the past month or so. Let’s get something straight i have not asked for a trade nor will i ask for a trade. In my opinion i believe the rumors are part of an overzealous group of reporters who are putting the Ducks in the “sellers” category at the trade deadline and trying to drum up fan interest in there stories and TV shows.<...”
-Chris Pronger. More at ChrisPronger.com
Randy Youngman has more at the OC Register and thanks to Ducks Blog for the pointers....
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Brian Burke On Chris Pronger
by Paul on 02/04/09 at 06:25 PM ET
Comments (6)
Brian Burke appeared on Fan590 about an hour ago. Burke talked Leafs and then was asked about the Pronger to Toronto rumors. His response, “He is not coming here, not a chance.”
Burke then went on to say the package Anaheim GM Bob Murray would get for Pronger is a “#1 pick and a kid.” I found it a bit interesting Burke did not say if he is traded, but instead just said this is the type of package Anaheim will get for Pronger.
You can listen here and the Pronger topic starts at the 7:20 mark..
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Brian+Burke, Chris+Pronger,
Hockey Play?
by Paul on 01/12/09 at 06:39 PM ET
Comments (11)
from Greg Wyshynski aka Puck Daddy,
Chris Pronger of the Anaheim Ducks has eight suspensions (and as far as we know, zero NHL-mandated anger management therapy sessions) to his credit. Last night against the New Jersey Devils, Pronger once again had a questionable hit, this time on Zach Parise at the end of the game:
continued with video and I swear I have seen that type of hit before!
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Your Morning With Chris Pronger
by Paul on 11/20/08 at 11:02 AM ET
Comments (2)
Find out what it’s like to be a professional hockey player in the new series ‘Day In The Life,’ airing tonight at 7 ET on the NHL network.
Share the morning skate with Chris Pronger…
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Big Hit From Pronger On Mike Green
by Paul on 11/20/08 at 08:12 AM ET
Comments (0)
via Tarik El-Bashir of Capitals Insider,
Mike Green was wearing a shoulder sling on his right arm after the game. But he said he’s hopeful the injury is not too serious. When I asked him if it was sprained or separated, the defenseman said he won’t know until the morning.
“It was a good hit,” Green said of Chris Pronger’s shoulder check that sent him hurtling into the end boards. “I seen him coming, but he’s so big I couldn’t brace myself. We’ll see how it feels tomorrow morning. I’m just trying to keep it still right now. Obviously, it’s not too bad, so we’ll see how tonight goes.”
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger, Mike+Green,
Pronger Hit On Datsyuk
by Paul on 10/30/08 at 08:17 PM ET
Comments (23)
Head hit or not? Keep in mind a delayed penalty on the Ducks (not on Pronger) was being called at the time of the hit.
Thanks to Puck Daddy for the video pointer!
Filed in: NHL Teams, Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Chris+Pronger, Pavel+Datsyuk,
All Chris Pronger
by Paul on 09/18/08 at 09:35 AM ET
Comments (9)
from Curtis Zupke of Ducks Blog at the OC Register,
Q: There’s a blog entry on your Web site where you wrote, “We have been written off for dead by many members of the media and fans throughout the league.” Why would you think that people would write this team off?
A: It’s more who’s the hot team in the league. Everybody’s talking about Detroit. San Jose’s made all these moves. For us, it’s going to be pretty good. We were media darlings a couple of years ago. Last year with everything surrounding Teemu (Selanne) and Scotty (Niedermayer) we were kind of in the limelight again…To come in under the radar, I think’s going to be pretty good for us. We’ve had 4-5 months to get our heads screwed on straight after a disappointing end to last year.
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Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Immortalizing Chris Pronger
by Alanah McGinley on 05/08/08 at 01:03 PM ET
Comments (5)
A note from Greg Wyshynski, the NHL Blog Editor at Yahoo! Sports:
The following should be fairly straightforward, but here’s the short form: I purchased the Chris Pronger page on Hockey-Reference.com and I’m offering one lucky fan the chance to write the message that appears on the page.
The current page reads: “Chris Pronger: A suspension waiting to happen” and Greg thinks hockey fans can do much better.
Go to Yahoo! Sports to read more about it and submit your best effort at ‘honoring’ Pronger.
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Tags: chris+pronger, hockey+fans,
Pronger Back On His Game
by Alanah McGinley on 04/17/08 at 02:09 PM ET
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From Eric Stephens at the LA Times,
In the first two games of their Western Conference quarterfinal series against the Dallas Stars, the Ducks saw a Chris Pronger they don’t want to see. The invisible one.
They prefer the hard-skating, occasionally nasty one who scored two goals in Game 3.
Good or bad, the 6-foot-6 Pronger always draws attention. And in his drive to win, he sometimes crosses the line, as evidenced by his eight career suspensions, including an eight-game punishment toward the end of the regular season.
But Pronger’s performance Tuesday night showed why such reprimands by the NHL are something to simply accept.
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Tags: chris+pronger,
Pronger Hopes To Come Back In Better Shape
by Paul on 03/22/08 at 07:48 AM ET
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from the LA Times,
Pronger has been a regular participant in the workouts and morning skates to stay sharp until his suspension ends April 6 in the regular-season finale against Phoenix.
“Nobody’s perfect out there,” Pronger said Friday. “We all have to work on our weak points out there and make sure we continue to improve. I can use this time to make sure I’m staying as close to the top of my game as I can and also work on the things that are lacking.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to come back from this and be in better shape than I was when I left.”
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Simon Disgusted With Pronger Decision
by Paul on 03/15/08 at 08:21 PM ET
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from Darren Dreger of TSN,
Chris Simon and those close to him, including current and former teammates, are disgusted and outraged over Chris Pronger’s eight game exile that is dwarfed by the 30 games Simon was banished for following a similar stomping incident in December.
The NHL understands the outpouring of emotion and predicted as much, but will say while acts appear similar; the intent is what defines the difference.
It is over and done, time to move on in my opinion.
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Tags: Chris+Pronger, Chris+Simon,
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 03/15/08 at 04:46 PM ET
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from Jamie Baker at Seagate Broadcaster Blog (before the suspension came down),
I haven’t seen the video of Chris Prongor who allegedly stomped on Ryan Kesler. I do know this however; Prongor is sending a message to everyone that he means business. I know fans love to hate him, but the reality is he tries to hurt players. Teams have a few options for this type of intimidating tactic. One, complain to the league and say Prongor does not inhibit sportsmanship. Two, go after Prongor. Three, go after someone else on the Ducks, say Getzlaf or Kunitz or Scott Niedermeyer.
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Tags: Chris+Pronger,
Pronger Gets 8 Game Suspension
by Alanah McGinley on 03/15/08 at 02:39 PM ET
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From TSN,
The National Hockey League has handed Anaheim Ducks defenceman Chris Pronger an eight-game suspension for stomping on Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kesler in a game Wednesday night.
The team has nine games remaining in the regular season, starting Saturday night against the St. Louis Blues. He is eligible to return for the team’s final game on Apr. 6 against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Update 3:07pm ET: From the LA Times,
“I’d like to apologize to Ryan Kesler, the Vancouver Canucks, my teammates, and the National Hockey League for my actions last Wednesday night,” Pronger said in a statement. “While I did not intend to injure Ryan, I respect the league’s decision on this matter and look forward to returning to the ice and leading my teammates into the playoffs.”
Update 3:13pm ET: From the CP via Hockey.com,
“In attempting to free himself, Pronger carelessly and recklessly brought his foot down,” Campbell said in a statement.
Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Pronger is considered a repeat offender. He will forfeit US$609,756.08 in salary. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Note: video and previous commentary here.
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Tags: chris+pronger, ryan+kesler, suspensions,
Comparing The Simon Suspension
by Paul on 03/15/08 at 11:39 AM ET
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from On the Islanders Beat,
Indeed, Campbell is the one who set the bar. If the league’s attorneys are doing their job, the suspension should be in the same ballpark as what Simon received for his last two incidents. If it falls significantly short, then, Simon’s agent, Larry Kelly, should file suit to reclaim the difference his client lost in salary compared to Pronger.
more
from Russo’s Rants,
...league disciplinarian Colin Campbell said, “While it was fortunate there was no serious injury to Mr. Ruutu as a result of Simon’s action, the deliberate act of kicking an opponent with an exposed skate blade, especially where the opponent is in a vulnerable position, is and always has been a repugnant and totally unacceptable act in the game of hockey.
“In addition, while the act itself was extremely dangerous, the fact that this is the eighth incident requiring the imposition of supplementary discipline on Simon compelled me to impose a very severe penalty in this case.”
Today we’ll find out how “repugnant and totally unacceptable” it is when Chris Pronger is the perpetrator. And by the way, Pronger has suspended seven times.
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Pronger Talks About Stick To Mouth
by Paul on 02/29/08 at 04:06 PM ET
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from the OC Register,
While Pronger’s absence figures to be considerably closer to one week than six, the injury was and remains scary. Sharp, who scored immediately off an offensive-zone faceoff, struck Pronger flush with a big follow-through.
“Those plays happen probably 10 times a game, where a guy is following through and he might hit the guy in the chest or hit the guy in the helmet, or just miss the guy,” Pronger said. “I was pulling out of the way. I saw it coming. I was too close. Things like that happen all the time. He took a pretty good swing at it. Stuff happens. The old adage – what comes around goes around. I’ve hit the odd guy in the head, too. It all plays out in the end. They all even up somehow.”
more on Pronger…
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Pronger Has Minor Jaw Surgery
by Paul on 02/27/08 at 01:03 PM ET
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via the OC Register,
The Ducks could have a short-term hole on defense in light of their revelation that captain Chris Pronger underwent surgery Monday to repair a “small fracture” in his jaw suffered in Sunday’s 6-3 victory over visiting Chicago.
“It’s not clear how much time he will miss,” Burke said. “It’s certainly not expected to be lengthy. A game or two is the expectation at this time.”
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European Scheduling
by Alanah McGinley on 02/05/08 at 12:52 AM ET
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From David W. Unkle via Slam! Sports,
“Personally would I like to do it again, no,” said Pronger who also played games in Nagano and Turin. “Do I think it’s good for the NHL? I think it is but personally would I want to do it again? It’s a long way to go for a couple of games…for us this year it probably wasn’t the right move with the short summer…we weren’t the right team.”
Agreeing with Pronger is Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin.
“If you look at Anaheim and the struggles they went through when they came back home, you have to do it a different way,” said Sedin, who feels that the NHL should give teams more than a few days to acclimate to the time change.
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Tags: anaheim+ducks, chris+pronger, henrik+sedin, hockey+schedule, international+hockey, marketing,
Crib Burning Story Put Out
by Paul on 01/18/08 at 10:10 PM ET
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from the Edmonton Journal,
There is no proof to back up NHL star Chris Pronger’s claim that someone in Edmonton burned his furniture, including his child’s crib, after he was traded from the Oilers in July 2006, says a spokesman for the hockey team.
“I think it’s horrible. . . . He offers no proof,” said Allan Watt, the Edmonton Oilers’ vice-president of communications.
The team’s security people, who are trained police officers, checked out the allegation, Watt said Friday.
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Where There Is Smoke…
by Paul on 01/17/08 at 10:28 AM ET
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Stealing and burning furniture, he said, did you hear it correctly?
One big mess regarding Chris Pronger on Jim Rome. Greg at the NHL Fanhouse breaks it all down....
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Chris Pronger on Niedermayer’s Return
by Alanah McGinley on 12/14/07 at 12:48 PM ET
Comments (4)
From Chris Pronger at The Hockey News,
There are those who wondered about Scott’s decision to take time off, but not his teammates. We understood and so did our fans. Anaheim Ducks fans are delighted Scott has decided to play again. They enjoy the way he plays.
Scott has the right to retire or play, regardless of his contract situation. What some people forget is, when we sign with a team, that team has the right to play us, not play us, put us on waivers, send us down or trade us. Teams own your rights; they don’t own your soul.
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Tags: anaheim+ducks, chris+pronger, scott+niedermayer,
The Same Pronger
by Paul on 11/29/07 at 09:30 AM ET
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from the Vancouver Province,
All the guy does is play 28 minutes a night until the playoffs. Then he really gets to work and he kicks it up a notch. He always gets better as the season goes along and his team, no matter what team he plays for, always has a chance to do something in the post-season. He’s so good and has been for so long, he’s just expected to be great every night, every year with no fanfare, unless it’s provided by the opposing crowd.
“He’s been terrific this year again,” says Ducks GM Brian Burke of the defenceman he landed from Edmonton 18 months ago to make a Cup in Anaheim last year a reality. “He’s stepped into the leadership void left by (Scott Niedermayer’s) loss and filled it nicely. He’s always steady, great every night ... just terrific.”
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Tags: anaheim+ducks, brian+burke, chris+pronger,
No Suspension For Pronger
by Paul on 11/14/07 at 06:50 PM ET
Comments (2)
from the Anaheim Ducks,
One day after getting back to the .500 mark with a thrilling shootout victory over rival Los Angeles, the Ducks continued to remain upbeat Wednesday with a double dose of good news.
First, the Ducks received word that Chris Pronger’s suspension from an instigating call against the Kings was rescinded by the NHL. Then, the team’s lone injured player, Todd Bertuzzi (concussion), returned to practice and participated in non-contact drills for over 30 minutes.
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Tags: anaheim+ducks, chris+pronger,
