HOCKEYTALK NHL QUICK SHOTS BY JOSH BREWSTER

NHL QUICK SHOTS
By Josh Brewster
February 21, 2009

Keep Pronger

FEBRUARY 21, 2009 -- ANAHEIM – Am I the only one in North America who isn’t suggesting that Chris Pronger should be traded away from the Ducks?

Sure seems that way, considering the torrent of speculation regarding the Ducks’ defenseman that has gone on within the past few weeks, and will surely continue until the March 4th trade deadline.

Pronger recently posted a message to his web site expressing interest in staying with the club.

“Let's get something straight.” Pronger stated. “I have not asked for a trade nor will I ask for a trade. In my opinion I believe the rumors are part of an overzealous group of reporters who are putting the Ducks in the ‘sellers’ category at the trade deadline and trying to drum up fan interest in their stories and TV shows. They put us, the Ducks, in this category because we have not played up to expectations thus far.”

While GM Bob Murray may indeed be motivated to move Pronger, I suggest that Pronger would be a very expensive component to replace, if he can be replaced at all.

The ‘sellers’ category of which Pronger speaks, and rightly attributes to overzealous reporting, is the category each underachieving club is lumped into during the month of February. It’s notable that no one suggests that the team should deal injured defensemen Kent Huskins or Francois Beauchemin. It’s notable that most reporters don’t bother to mention, when they’re busy speculating, that the team has been integrating two or three rookie defensemen on any given night, and that Pronger has had numerous defensive partners this season. There are more than enough underachievement awards to go around this year in Anaheim, and it’s not all about Pronger. It’s funny that it’s Pronger who the critics would like to, as the saying goes, “throw under the bus.”

Have any of these media speculators considered how difficult it is to replace a 6’6” former Hart and Norris Trophy winner? What do you get in return? Picks, maybe a veteran defenseman who pales in comparison? That may be good enough if you’re going to gut the lineup and start again, but how likely is that, considering how many quality players the Ducks still have? The team needs to be retooled, not rebuilt.

Pronger, despite the club’s woes, still sparks enough fear into the hearts of young forwards to create a millisecond of hesitation on their part before they go into the corners against him. He still pulls 26:52 TOI on average. Still packs a huge shot. To kiss a nucleus player like Pronger aside would be a poor gamble, ranking right up there with the poor decision to trade Andy McDonald to St. Louis for a washed-up Doug Weight.

For Pronger, I’d have to see Jay Bouwmeester come back in trade, or Marc Staal, which isn’t likely to happen, considering Pronger’s age (33).

The fact is, Pronger has few peers in the NHL. His peers – Nick Lidstrom and Zdeno Chara, won’t be leaving their clubs at any price. Shea Weber and Dion Phaneuf represent younger versions of Pronger, and no one’s going to give them to you.

Take a look at what has happened to the team after dispensing with its speediest center, point-per-game guy Andy McDonald. The team is now praying that, after failed experiments with Weight and Brendan Morrison, that rookie Andrew Ebbett can replace McDonald. Maybe he can, but it’s been almost two seasons’ worth of searching to replace McDonald, a player who shouldn’t have been dealt. His trade to St. Louis represents one of the few blunders made by former GM Brian Burke, whose success with the franchise is the stuff of legend.

Ask yourself where the Buffalo Sabres or Carolina Hurricanes would be with a giant like Pronger; certainly much higher in the standings than they are presently. Most GM’s around this league are surely itching to see what the market will bear for a dominating defenseman such as Pronger.

Ask yourself where the Bruins would be without Chara. Then ask yourself where the Ducks would be without Pronger.

EXTEND PRONGER’S DEAL

So, who in the minds of these media geniuses fills Pronger’s flip-flops? Beauchemin? Huskins? No way. Good players, both, but not elite, like Pronger.

The Ducks are fortunate enough to have his services, and if they choose to replace Pronger, it says here that replacing him will cost a lot more than the $6+M he’s making this year and next. A revolving door of defensemen will emerge in Pronger’s wake, and I guarantee they won’t touch his talent. The price to search for his replacement would involve quite a few players over the next two or so years. At the end of the process, the Ducks will have lost more games than they would have with Pronger in a Ducks uniform.

Therefore, GM Bob Murray would be wise to stump the “experts” and extend Pronger’s current deal, which expires after the end of next season. If Pronger can be signed for three or four years, for roughly seven million dollars, a sure bet on Pronger will serve to keep the Ducks competitive, without their having to sign him for a terribly long time. It will leave the club free to focus on other players at other positions.

Huskins and Beauchemin will have to be re-signed before this July 1st, and extending Pronger might put a bit of a squeeze on the situation, but salary relief could come in the form of bidding farewell to legend Scott Niedermayer, due to the fact that he earns roughly what Pronger makes.

In the case of Niedermayer, it’s unclear what his future intentions are, and if any high-priced Duck need be viewed as an asset for the sake of lowering the club’s salary expenditures, it’s Niedermayer, not Pronger, who provides the strongest solution. Since we know that Pronger would like to continue to play, he should be kept; Niedermayer could decide to retire, and in that event, the club would not only find itself without a traded Pronger but a retired Niedermayer. Extending Pronger’s deal would serve as a nice hedge bet against that scenario. Niedermayer would be an attractive rental for a Cup contender this year, and would yield in trade a similar set of picks and prospects. If Niedermayer were to inform the club that he feels like playing for another three or four years, then all bets re Pronger are off; but that sentiment on Niedermayer’s part has yet to be revealed.

Keep Pronger. He’s a very strong bet.

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