Chris Pronger

Chris Pronger
Born	(1974-10-10) October 10, 1974 Dryden, Ontario
Height	6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Philadelphia Flyers Hartford Whalers St. Louis Blues Edmonton Oilers Anaheim Ducks
National team	Canada
NHL draft	2nd overall, 1993 Hartford Whalers
Playing career	1993–present
Website	ChrisPronger.com

Christopher Robert Pronger (pronounced /ˈprɒŋɡər/ or /ˈprɒŋər/; born October 10, 1974) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is an alternate captain for the Flyers during away games. Originally selected 2nd overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Pronger has played for Hartford, the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, and Anaheim Ducks before being traded to the Flyers before the 2009-10 season. He has appeared in the Stanley Cup finals with three different teams (Edmonton, Anaheim, and Philadelphia), winning the Cup with the Ducks in 2007. Pronger won the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player (for the 1999–2000 season) and was the first defenceman to win the award since Bobby Orr in 1972. A mainstay on Team Canada, Pronger won Olympic gold medals at Salt Lake City 2002 and Vancouver 2010 and is a member of the Triple Gold Club. Pronger is also one of only two former Whalers still active in the NHL (the other is Jean-Sébastien Giguère of the Toronto Maple Leafs).

Playing career

Minor and junior hockey

Before entering the Junior ranks in Ontario, Pronger grew up playing minor hockey in his hometown of Dryden, Ontario. As a 15-year old, he was identified through the Ontario U-17 program and signed with the Stratford Cullitons Jr. B (OHA) club for the 1990–91 season.

In May 1991, Pronger indicated he was going to join his older brother Sean at Bowling Green State University (NCAA) instead of opting for the OHL. Regardless of his pre-draft indications, Pronger was selected in the 6th round by the Peterborough Petes in the OHL Priority Selection. He subsequently reported to the Petes and played two years in the OHL before being selected in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.

After two outstanding seasons with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and because of being highly regarded for his rare combination of imposing size, speed, offensive skill (particularly on the power play) and physicality as a defenceman, Pronger was selected second overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, behind Alexandre Daigle, who made the infamous statement, "I'm glad I got drafted first, because no one remembers number two."

Hartford Whalers and St. Louis Blues

He made his debut in the 1993–94 NHL season, playing 81 games for the Whalers and earning a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team. However, Pronger was arrested for drunk driving, involved in a barroom brawl, and was considered by some to be impatient and immature. After a second season in Hartford, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues for star forward Brendan Shanahan on July 27, 1995.

In the early years of his St. Louis career, Pronger played under coach and general manager Mike Keenan. He would eventually become the team's captain, from 1997–2003.

In his third season with St. Louis, at age 23, Pronger was again named to the All-Star team. That year Pronger also had a brief cardiac arrest during the 1998 Stanley Cup Playoffs when he was hit in the chest with a puck in a game against the Detroit Red Wings. Prior to this he played for the Canadian Olympic team in Nagano. In 1999–2000, Pronger recorded a career-high 62 points and a +52 rating. His efforts culminated in a Norris and Hart Trophy at the end of the season. Pronger beat Art Ross winner Jaromír Jágr by just one point in Hart Trophy voting, which was, at the time, the smallest margin of victory in the history of the award. (Two years later, Jarome Iginla and José Théodore tied in overall voting; Théodore won with more first-place votes.) Pronger was also named to the First All-Star Team.

Pronger notched 47 points the next season, but appeared in only 51 games due to injury problems. In February 2002, he won a gold medal with the Canadian Olympic Team in the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. That same year in the NHL, he had another fine season and played in the All-Star Game once again. But injuries became a problem again in 2002–03, limiting him to just five games played. Pronger bounced back with another quality season in 2003–04. Following the 2004–05 NHL lockout and imposition of the NHL salary cap, the Blues traded Pronger to the Edmonton Oilers for defencemen Eric Brewer, Jeff Woywitka and Doug Lynch. While the Blues needed to reduce team salaries to make it easier to sell the team, the Oilers were able to sign Pronger to a five-year, $31.25 million contract. With the Oilers he also served as a rotating alternate captain when other teammates were injured during 2005–06.

Edmonton Oilers

Pronger was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics, marking his third consecutive Olympic Games. The Oilers went to the Stanley Cup Final that same year. On June 5, 2006, in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, Pronger became the first player in NHL history to score a penalty shot goal in a Stanley Cup Final game. The Oilers lost in game seven, with Pronger scoring a team-leading 21 points (5 goals, 16 assists) in 24 games, as well as a team leading plus/minus rating of +10 during the playoffs.

On June 23, 2006, Pronger requested a trade through his agent, Pat Morris, from the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton GM Kevin Lowe said that the request was due to personal reasons, while media outlets reported that Pronger's wife, Lauren, was not happy in Edmonton. The controversy surrounding Pronger's trade request has led many to describe him as "Public Enemy No.1" in Edmonton. On July 3, Pronger was traded to the Anaheim Ducks for forward Joffrey Lupul, defensive prospect Ladislav Šmíd, Anaheim's 2007 first-round draft pick (traded to the Phoenix Coyotes, picked Nick Ross), a conditional first-round draft pick (dependent on the Ducks reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in the next 3 years), and Anaheim's 2008 second-round draft pick.

Anaheim Ducks

Chris Pronger with Anaheim.

In 2007, Pronger played an important role for the Ducks run as they reached the Stanley Cup Finals and later won the championship. It was also Pronger's second straight finals appearance. During the Conference Finals, Pronger was suspended for one game for a check on Detroit Red Wings winger Tomas Holmström. He later criticized the Canadian media's coverage of the incident. In the final round, Pronger was suspended for one game for elbowing Ottawa Senators winger Dean McAmmond in the head during game 3. With the Stanley Cup victory he became a member of the Triple Gold Club.

On September 28, 2007, Pronger was named the captain of the Ducks, replacing Scott Niedermayer. Although Niedermayer returned to the lineup later in the season, Pronger remained captain until the start of next season when Niedermayer was re-named captain. Pronger retained a role as alternate captain.

On March 12, 2008, Pronger was involved in an incident with Vancouver's Ryan Kesler. Pronger, after being tangled up with Kesler behind the Anaheim blue line, stomped unnecessarily on Kesler's leg. Kesler was not injured, and upon initial review the NHL did not suspend Pronger. However, upon new video evidence, which provided a better angle, the league once again reviewed the incident and gave Pronger an 8 game suspension. He returned to the ice April 6 against the Phoenix Coyotes in Anaheim's last regular season game of the year.

The 2008-09 season was quite successful for Pronger who played his 1000th career game on February 20, 2009. The Ducks would rally late in the season to jump into 8th place of the Western conference. They dispatched the President's Trophy winner San Jose Sharks in six games before falling to the Detroit Red Wings in seven games. Pronger had 2 goals and 8 assists in 13 playoff games.

Philadelphia Flyers

On June 27, 2009, Pronger, along with forward Ryan Dingle, was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Joffrey Lupul, defenceman Luca Sbisa, two first round draft picks and a conditional third round draft pick. It was the second time Lupul and Pronger had been involved in a trade for each other. On July 7, 2009, Pronger signed a seven-year contract extension that will most likely see him finish his career in Philadelphia. Nearly a month after signing, the NHL announced they had launched an investigation on Pronger's deal to determine whether it was a circumvention of the salary cap under the collective bargaining agreement. Because the contract is front-loaded, with annual salaries of just $525,000 in the final two years, and expires by the time Pronger is 42, the investigation was launched with the focus on the potential of negotiations between Pronger and the Flyers to retire before contract expiration.

On December 30, 2009, Pronger was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He served as one of the team's alternate captains, along with Sidney Crosby and Jarome Iginla. HELLO

Personal life

He and his wife Lauren have two sons, Jack and George, and one daughter, Lilah. He lived in Irvine, California, while playing for the Anaheim Ducks. Pronger now resides in Haddonfield, New Jersey, while playing for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Transactions

Pronger playing at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

• June 26, 1993 – Drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the 1st round, 2nd overall.
• July 27, 1995 – Traded to the St. Louis Blues for Brendan Shanahan.
• August 3, 2005 – Traded to the Edmonton Oilers for Eric Brewer, Jeff Woywitka and Doug Lynch.
• July 3, 2006 – Traded to the Anaheim Ducks for Joffrey Lupul, Ladislav Šmíd, 1st round pick in 2007 (Riley Nash), and 1st (Jordan Eberle) and 2nd round picks in 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
• June 26, 2009 – Traded to the Philadelphia Flyers along with Ryan Dingle for Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa, and Philadelphia's first round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, and a conditional pick for either the 2010 NHL Entry Draft or the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Awards

• OHL First All-Star Team – 1993
• Max Kaminsky Trophy – 1993
• CHL Plus/Minus Award – 1993
• CHL Best defenceman – 1993
• NHL All-Rookie Team – 1994
• Bud Light NHL Plus/Minus Award – 1998, 2000
• Played in NHL All-Star Game – 1999, 2000, 2001 (voted in as starter but injured), 2002, 2004, 2008
• James Norris Memorial Trophy – 2000
• Hart Trophy (MVP) – 2000
• NHL First All-Star Team - 2000
• NHL Second All-Star Team - 1998, 2004, 2007,
• 2002 Winter Olympics - Won Olympic Gold with Team Canada
• Stanley Cup – 2007
• 2010 Winter Olympics - Won Olympic Gold with Team Canada

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1991–92	Peterborough Petes	OHL		63	17	45	62	90		10	1	8	9	28
1992–93	Peterborough Petes	OHL		61	15	62	77	108		21	15	25	40	51
1993–94	Hartford Whalers	NHL		81	5	25	30	113		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Hartford Whalers	NHL		43	5	9	14	54		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	St. Louis Blues	NHL		78	7	18	25	110		13	1	5	6	16
1996–97	St. Louis Blues	NHL		79	11	24	35	143		6	1	1	2	22
1997–98	St. Louis Blues	NHL		81	9	27	36	180		10	1	9	10	26
1998–99	St. Louis Blues	NHL		67	13	33	46	113		13	1	4	5	28
1999–00	St. Louis Blues	NHL		79	14	48	62	92		7	3	4	7	32
2000–01	St. Louis Blues	NHL		51	9	39	47	75		15	1	7	8	32
2001–02	St. Louis Blues	NHL		78	7	40	47	120		9	1	7	8	24
2002–03	St. Louis Blues	NHL		5	1	3	4	10		7	1	3	4	14
2003–04	St. Louis Blues	NHL		80	14	40	54	88		5	0	1	1	16
2004–05	Did not play — Lockout	NHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		80	12	44	56	74		24	5	16	21	26
2006–07	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		66	13	46	59	69		18	3	12	15	26
2007–08	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		72	12	31	43	128		6	2	3	5	12
2008–09	Anaheim Ducks	NHL		82	11	37	48	88		13	2	8	10	12
2009–10	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		82	10	45	55	79		23	4	14	18	36
NHL totals				1104	152	509	661	1536		170	26	94	120	322

International

Chris Pronger

Medal record
Representing Canada
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
	2002 Salt Lake City	Ice hockey
	2010 Vancouver	Ice hockey
World Championships
	1997 Finland	Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	1993 Sweden	Ice hockey

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1993	Canada	WJC		7	1	3	4	6
1997	Canada	WC		9	0	2	2	4
1998	Canada	Oly		6	0	0	0	4
2002	Canada	Oly		6	0	1	1	2
2006	Canada	Oly		6	1	2	3	16
2010	Canada	Oly		7	0	5	5	2
Senior int'l totals				34	1	10	11	36

All-Star Games

Year	Location		G	A	P
1999	Tampa Bay		0	2	2
2000	Toronto		0	0	0
2001	Colorado		—	—	—
2002	Los Angeles		0	1	1
2004	Minnesota		0	0	0
2008	Atlanta		0	0	0
All-Star totals			0	3	3

External links

• Chris Pronger's Official Website
• Chris Pronger career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Chris Pronger player profile at NHL.com
• Chris Pronger player profile at TSN.ca
• "Captain Crunch's Time Has Come", The Toronto Sun, February 1, 1998.

*NOTE: Al MacInnis served as captain for nearly the entire 2002-03 NHL season, while Pronger was injured and out of the line-up. Pronger re-assumed the captaincy after MacInnis suffered a career-ending injury early the next year. Template:HurricanesFirstPick