Entries with the tag: chris+pronger

Immortalizing Chris Pronger

by Alanah on 05/08/08 at 01:03 PM
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.

Pronger Back On His Game

by Alanah on 04/17/08 at 02:09 PM
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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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Pronger Hopes To Come Back In Better Shape

by Paul on 03/22/08 at 07:48 AM
Comments (8)

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
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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.

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It is over and done, time to move on in my opinion.

Afternoon Line

by Paul on 03/15/08 at 04:46 PM
Comments (6)

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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Pronger Gets 8 Game Suspension

by Alanah on 03/15/08 at 02:39 PM
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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.

Comparing The Simon Suspension

by Paul on 03/15/08 at 11:39 AM
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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.

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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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Stompin’ Chris Pronger

by Alanah on 03/14/08 at 12:48 PM
Comments (41)

Update March 15th: Pronger gets 8 games. Details here.

From TSN:

With poor quality video as evidence, Anaheim Ducks captain Chris Pronger escaped punishment from the National Hockey League after apparently stomping on Vancouver centre Ryan Kesler in a game on Wednesday night.

But a clearer version of the video revealed late Thursday - with a better look at the incident - raises the question of whether or not the star defenceman should be implicated.

Cleaned up and much clearer than what was available online yesterday, here’s the video TSN is now highlighting:

Continue Reading »

Playoff Hockey in March

by Alanah on 03/13/08 at 01:38 PM
Comments (26)

[Updates below -- because Pronger is really just “misunderstood” and “the nicest boy”...]
[Video now added at bottom]

Shockingly, the always-wholesome, sweet-natured, Lady Byng -worthy Chris Pronger has been accused of a nefarious act.  From TSN:

Anaheim Ducks defenceman Chris Pronger could face disciplinary action from the National Hockey League after stomping on Vancouver Canucks centre Ryan Kesler on Wednesday night.

The incident happened in the opening minute of the second period in Anaheim’s zone after a dump in from the blue line by Canucks defenceman Sami Salo.

Class act, that Pronger.  But then, I shouldn’t really comment—the game was on Canucks PPV last night, and being the top-quality broadcast that it is, they provided no video of the incident.  Tommy Larscheid had a verbal eruption while witnessing it from the broadcast booth, and then… nothing.  But assuming the Ducks broadcast caught this on tape, there’s reason to believe Pronger might be in some trouble for once…

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Pronger Talks About Stick To Mouth

by Paul on 02/29/08 at 04:06 PM
Comments (0)

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…

Pronger Has Minor Jaw Surgery

by Paul on 02/27/08 at 01:03 PM
Comments (10)

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.”

European Scheduling

by Alanah on 02/05/08 at 12:52 AM
Comments (0)

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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Crib Burning Story Put Out

by Paul on 01/18/08 at 10:10 PM
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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
Comments (0)

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....

Chris Pronger on Niedermayer’s Return

by Alanah on 12/14/07 at 12:48 PM
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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The Same Pronger

by Paul on 11/29/07 at 09:30 AM
Comments (0)

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.”

read on

No Suspension For Pronger

by Paul on 11/14/07 at 06:50 PM
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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Pronger Talks Hockey With Jim Rome

by Paul on 10/19/07 at 02:16 PM
Comments (0)

Chris Pronger appeared on “Rome is Burning” yesterday.

Check out the video…

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Chris Pronger Named Ducks Captain

by Alanah on 09/28/07 at 12:49 PM
Comments (1)

From the Anaheim Ducks,

Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle announced today that defenseman Chris Pronger will take over as captain, with last year’s captain Scott Niedermayer still mulling retirement.

“The coaching staff and management had a discussion and ultimately it was left up to us, the coaches, to make that decision and we made it through consultation through the last 48 hours,” Carlyle said. “We came to the conclusion that we thought Chris Pronger would be best suited to fit the captaincy role.”

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Draft May Be An Issue With NHL Teams In Europe

by Paul on 09/20/07 at 08:45 PM
Comments (3)

from the Edmonton Journal,

Chris Pronger is going to start his season in Europe this month, but he wouldn’t want to start his career across the pond.

The Anaheim Ducks defenceman believes NHL expansion to Europe wouldn’t work because some North American-raised players would be unwilling to report to European teams.

“How are you going to run the draft?” Pronger asked during a conference call Thursday. “Are you going to take a Canadian kid and ship him off to Europe?”

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