Pronger visits teammates
Daily News Flyers blog
Pronger visits teammates
Matt Carle said it has been more than a month since he saw old defensive partner Chris Pronger.
“Probably since the team’s Christmas party,” Carle guessed. “It’s been a while.”
Pronger, 36, is still out for the season with concussion-like symptoms, but he unexpectedly showed up at the Flyers’ practice facility in Voorhees, N.J., on Wednesday before practice to catch up with his teammates.
Pronger has not played a game since Nov. 19 in Winnipeg. He has publicly discussed his trying situation. And even his own teammates haven’t much communicated with him.
Pronger spent 90 minutes at the team’s facility on Wednesday.
“He wanted to know how we were doing,” Carle said. “He asked how I was playing with ‘Bizz’ [Marc-Andre Bourdon] and about our defensive rotations.
“He was more concerned with us than himself, it seemed like. So it was good to see him today. His spirits are up, it seems, so you just try to get better every day.”
The Flyers have not named a replacement for Pronger’s captaincy. Coach Peter Laviolette hinted that there was no reason for the Flyers to do so.
“We do feel like we have good leadership in the room,” Laviolette said. “I don’t feel like that’s been an issue for us.”
Laviolette added that the friendship part of being teammates is often lost in the equation. In a way, Pronger’s visit could have been therapeutic for him.
“I think it’s always good to see someone when they’ve been out due to injury,” Laviolette said. “You’re talking about friends and teammates that he’s coming in to see. I think that’s a positive.”
Laviolette and Carle both said Pronger didn’t look visibly different than the last time they saw him. On Dec. 15, he was declared out for the balance of the regular season and playoffs - a mandate that doesn’t seem like it will change.
Still, Carle said everyone in the Flyers’ locker room could sympathize with what Pronger has been experiencing over the past 3 months. Pronger told Carle he took a vacation during the All-Star break, which may have enabled him to charge his batteries enough to string together a few “good days” in a row.
“I’m sure you kind of get antsy,” Carle said. “I think that’s kind of what he’s going through. He’s home every day and he doesn’t have a whole lot going on. Hopefully [visiting us] helps him out.”
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This has to be good for the team to see Prongs again. Hopefully we get a bounce from this....I sure do miss the guy. Having said that, we need a stud defensemen. Not just that, we need a crease-clearing, bull force D man with an edge. Not many of those floating around. Let's say - purely for argument's sake - that we put together an offer for Suter. What is it? A second-rounder and third rounder in 2012 and 13?— NYFlyersFan- This has to be good for the team to see Prongs again. Hopefully we get a bounce from this....I sure do miss the guy. Having said that, we need a stud defensemen. Not just that, we need a crease-clearing, bull force D man with an edge. Not many of those floating around. Let's say - purely for argument's sake - that we put together an offer for Suter. What is it? A second-rounder and third rounder in 2012 and 13?
Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/flyers/Pronger-visits-teams-practice-facility.html?c=0.9904895032448398β=81064947#ixzz1lpYyfyqp
Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else— mnewguy - Still holding out an iota of hope he shows up to play in this year's playoffs...— mebphila
- This poor guy. You hear the scary stories about guys like Pronger, Primeau, Lindros and the rest, and it's hard to imagine facing the prospect of enduring concussion symptoms for an idnefinte preiod.— 1980
- Concussions are chancy things. I think the Flyers worked out with Pronger early the idea of declaring him out for the season and playoffs to spare him the need to continue to answer the question about his return or even being near the media at all. I think no one knows when he will be back, for the playoffs or otherwise. Buying a high priced defenseman indicates that the Flyers have Pronger's salary cap to play with. So long as they don't make such a move, there will be speculation. I don't see how anyone not treating Pronger can make informed speculation on his return and even those individuals might acknowledge at this point they don't know for sure.— Claudio Vernight
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1980- look at crosby, the poster child for the new nhl, and he's possibly played his last game. He's 1 lafontaine/lindros hit away from hanging them up— jamarder- From a Fans stand point having Pronger show up at practice is great news lets us know he is a little better and he is having a good day. It has to be a huge lift for his teamates who haven't seen him or talkedto him. Lets hope the big guy gets healthy for next season.— srcdaddy1216
- We need to go after Gill, he's the closest thing to Pronger out there and his cap hit I believe isn't too bad.— racsokitty
- I have to agree on Gill. He's been there before and steps up in the playoffs. Don't forget he was on the ice for the final seconds of the pens game 7 victory just a few years ago. Plays with an edge and doesn't necessarily need to be the top 1,2, or 3 guy...and only $2.5M or so, very affordable— philly thug
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- If he made a trip to the room to see the boyz, you know that is all he is thinkong aboot. Prongs will back book it.
Gill?? Why not put Hatch back in the line up.— Clarkeisgod - If he made a trip to the room to see the boyz, you know that is all he is thinkong aboot. Prongs will back book it.Gill?? Why not put Hatch back in the line up. (HTML deleted)— Clarkeisgod
- Yeah, what was the name of the captain of the Titanic?— 2smart4philly
- I know that the flyers miss chirs pronger and i know we miss him but is stil early to tell about who will be the captain for the flyers.
what was the name of the captain of the flyers maybe Daniel briere,or Matt read or Timonen will be the one
— mnewguy
