Staying or Going: Chris Pronger

Filed under: Ducks, NHL Rumors

The Clash once posed the question: Should I stay or should I go now? We take a look at the big names surrounding the NHL trade deadline and whether they'll be staying in place or going to finish the season in another city.

Chris Pronger is the classic case of a player you love when he's on your team, and absolutely hate when he's not. A hulking 6-foot-6, 214-pound mass of humanity, Pronger has been one of the game's best (and most controversial) defenseman for the past decade.

He's won a Stanley Cup with Anaheim and helped lead the Edmonton Oilers to the finals during the 2005-06 season. Currently, the Ducks are in a four-way tie with Minnesota, Dallas and Edmonton for the No. 8 spot in a wide-open Western Conference playoff race.

Despite the fact Anaheim is very much in contention for a playoff spot, general manager Bob Murray came out this past week and said he's been fielding a lot of calls regarding his players, including Pronger.

Acquired by the Ducks following the 2006 season for Joffrey Lupul, Ladislav Smid and draft picks, Pronger has spent three years in Anaheim, and currently has 36 points (10 goals, 26 assists) in 62 games this season, while still dishing out his share of punishment.

Contract status: Signed through the 2009-10 season at a price of $6.25 million per season.

Teams that might be interested: Toronto, Montreal, New Jersey, Washington

Where he'll end up: Staying in Anaheim, even though he could help take a great team -- like Washington, for example -- and turn it into a legitimate Stanley Cup favorite. While the Ducks season has been a disappointment to this point, I can't see Anaheim, while still in contention for a playoff spot, dealing its No. 1 defenseman.

Staying or Going: Chris Pronger originally appeared on NHL FanHouse on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments