Pronger still hopes to return
Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren strongly refuted a Facebook rumor that defenseman Chris Pronger was retiring and moving to St. Louis with his family.
Pronger still hopes to return
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren strongly refuted a Facebook rumor that defenseman Chris Pronger was retiring and moving to St. Louis with his family.
Holmgren said on Thursday night that Pronger, who missed most of the season with post-concussion syndrome, is hoping to get better and return to action next season. He is still experiencing headaches, the GM said.
“There’s no truth to him retiring,” Holmgren said.
Because of an illness in his wife’s family, the Prongers are apparently going to spend some time in St. Louis, Holmgren said.
Fans on Twitter and Facebook reported seeing a huge moving van in front of Pronger's Haddonfield house on Wednesday.
If Pronger retired, the Flyers would not get any relief from his $4.9 million cap hit.
Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.
Comments (66)
If he was in his 20s I'd say give it another go, but Pronger's in his late 30s- retirement age- and quite frankly as much as I love him on our team I hope he retires because his health is more important than another year of getting banged up in front of the Bryzaster. I don't know how he is now but as of a couple months ago he still couldn't even walk without feeling wobbly. This is not a person who's going to be ready to play hockey in a few months. Family first, everything else second. Thanks for the memories, thanks for all the hard work, but it's time to hang up the skates. Best of luck to him whatever he decides, but I'm pretty sure we've seen the last of Pronger in a Flyers jersey.— Fly Guy- I hope Pronger does not end up in a vegitated state later in life because of some sence of pride or obligation. His family should tell him to pull the plug. Surely coaching or scouting opportunities exsist for someone of his stature in the NHL.— Jiminfl
- I hope Pronger does not end up in a vegitated state later in life because of some sence of pride or obligation. His family should tell him to pull the plug. Surely coaching or scouting opportunities exsist for someone of his stature in the NHL.— Jiminfl
- Even if the headaches left, I'm not sure that arthritic knee of his is in any shape to continue skating on for 9 months of the year. And what about his back or his foot? Don't you think this guy wants to be able to walk and remember his name when he's 50?— Mark1npt
- This comment has been deleted.— cookin63
- Great post, bro. But Hexy will tell you that he's right and everybody else is wrong because he uses "Corsi Stats."
The great Hexy used Corsi Stats to determine that Wayne Gretzky had a bad season in 1993-94, when he was NHL scoring champion. - PhilaLogic: Great points. Mostly lost on PHilly fans who grow up with tons of passion and little knowledge of the game outside of college basketball or maybe baseball from little league. You cannot measure or replace Pronger. Stats aside, the guy took the Ducks to the Cup, then took a young team for the Oilers to the Cup (should have won it if Lappy's team hadn't cheapshotted Roloson out of the game) and then took the Flyers to the Cup. He did it by playing 20-30 mins EVERY game, special teams, and simply dominatnig size/reach, puck control, and great first passes. Watch Doughty play for the Kings and will see a "new" style future elite defenseman. I doubt there will be another Pronger-esq D-man once Chara finishes playing. The last of a dying breed. The guy simply logged tons of ice time, made few mistakes, and was nearly perfect. Sure, he slowed down the past years. Bodychecks were minimal. Dirty play calmed into quiet professionalism. He was still a monster logging tons of ice time with positive results. You DO NOT replace him with Mezaros, and you certainly don't replace him with Grossman and Kubina.— MichaelZoe
- Thanks, but the GF/GA/PP/SH stats came from the Boop Stats blog here. They were from December 2011, but represented a huge sample (116 games) and probably didn't change much as the Flyers played mediocre hockey from then until February 16, 2011... It's astounding how there's a marked or even dramatic difference in every major stat -- winning percentage being the big one -- when Pronger was in the lineup versus out of it. But anyone who has followed hockey understands how a dominant defenseman influences every aspect of the play when he is on ice. I see it with Doughty so clearly, saw it with Pronger (wherever he played) so clearly, saw it with Mark Howe and Ray Bourque and Nicklas Lidstrom and so on. When the Flyers were set to play Chicago in the '10 finals, I saw how Duncan Keith was performing (and to an extent, Brent Seabrook) and I knew that that more than anything made the Hawks a tough team to beat. Defensemen who constantly make the right decision are rare and they subtly but relentlessly dictate the play in their teams' favor. That's why the Flyers' stats with & without Pronger are so dramatically different, even as he was slowing down. — PhilaLogic
- Guys like Pronger have the need to compete to the point of irrationality. It is what makes them willing to play 30 minutes, blocking shots, taking checks... absolutely brutal stuff. Heck yeah he still wants to play.. but it would be a bad move for him. Just as everyone said here.. if there is no change to the CBA, he'll go on long term IR so he doesn't affect the cap...have some made up role within the Flyers and cash his 5 mil a year. He'll be frustrated, but happy in 10 years.— Freddy
Comment removed.- Pronger's rash of injuries after the Flyers 2010 Cup Run were brought on by the bad karma he drew by playing "steal the puck" in the Flyer's Game 1 & 2 losses.
the FSM doesn't like bad sportsmanship.— ekw555 - hey, you don't mess with the FSM.
btw - did you mean "Norman Einstein" ?
— ekw555 - Would love to see a healthy Pronger back but I don't think that's going to happen. Sad to say his run may end like Lindros and Primeau.
- Please let there be an amnesty clause in the new CBA. Pronger is done and it's unfair that the flyers have to absorb his $5 million/year cap hit. That money can be used to try and go after Weber.— the sichee-ation
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Broad Street Bull is the Inquirer's blog covering the Philadelphia Flyers and the National Hockey League.
Reach Sam at scarchidi@phillynews.com.
Sam Carchidi
Inquirer Staff Writer
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