Holmgren: Pronger gives us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup

by Travis Hughes on Jun 26, 2009 8:49 PM EDT in 2009 NHL Draft

Some raw quotes from Paul Holmgren's meeting with the media here in Montreal...

"Joffrey Lupul is a good player and Luca Sbisa is going to be a good player, but we're trying to win here. And we think Chris is a guy who can help us to achieving our goal."

"Over the last few years, we've sort of changed our approach, and we've changed our defense as well. We have mobility and puck movement and speed back there, but you don't get too many opportunities to acquire a guy like Chris. He's the total package -- a proven winner and I think his presence will be a tremendous asset to our organization."

"There's a lot of good teams in our conference and at the end of the summer there's only one Stanley Cup Champion. I think Chris gives us a better chance. I think we have a better chance today than yesterday."

"July 1 is a different animal. We'll be in the office on July 1. We still have work to do and we'll see what we can do."

"[Pairings] are up to John [Stevens]. I think Chris, because of his abilities, he can play either side. I think he'd play well with a lot of different players."

"I never spoke with [Pronger's agent] Pat Morrison about Chris [prior to making the deal]. I'll sit down and see what we can do."

Holmgren also noted that the condition on the third pick in the deal is if the Flyers win the Stanley Cup. If the Flyers win the Cup this season, they owe the Ducks a third round pick.

You can listen to the raw audio here. Please note that it hasn't been polished.

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I don’t mind the “win now” approach. That’s fine and I am not completely against getting a guy like Chris Pronger. He is a proven winner and is a bitch to play against. But “win now” doesn’t mean two first round draft picks and Sbisa! Are you f**kin’ kidding me! If it had been Lupul and the two draft picks I’d be okay with that. But losing Sbisa is what gets my goat. Pronger is 34 years old and, potentially, will only be here for a year. This is incredibly frustrating. And we are still gonna spend the entire year backed up against the Cap. My usual attempt to be optimistic is slowly fading . . .

by Mitchell Green on Jun 26, 2009 9:14 PM EDT reply actions

I’m trying to figure out if we’re built around this coming season (look how well that worked for Toronto in ‘03-04) or if this is some weird bridge to ’10-11 and beyond where we can forget Pronger and Emery and go for a big, worthwhile (and expensive) free agent or two. Homer did say though that they were going to sit down with Pronger’s agent later this summer and try to figure out an extension.

by Ben Feldman on Jun 26, 2009 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions

As long as Chris Pronger is Chris Pronger I don’t mind that at all. But it depends on his durability and, most importantly, the money!

I just hope he doesn’t go all Peter Foresberg on us. If he can be the dominant defender that he has been over the course of his career, for the next couple of years, I can’t complain about that.

I just hope Sbisa doesn’t amount to much so that we didn’t get completely raped.

by Mitchell Green on Jun 26, 2009 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions

The "common sense" answer

Pronger gives us a better chance to win the Stanley Cup

Wow Homer, I had NO idea that acquiring a star player made one’s team better. None.

Don’t mind me. Still upset here. Very happy to have Pronger but angry that we’ve mortgaged our future on the blue-line for what could be a glorified rental player.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Jun 26, 2009 9:55 PM EDT reply actions

we’ve got all the future in the world. we’ve got so many young, great prospects we can’t keep them all.

by beatniche on Jun 26, 2009 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Just wondering, who would you say they are? I def. agree with you but I feel like I am not thinking of some or don’t know much about them to consider them as solid prospects for the future. Would you say that there is someone in our farm system that is on the same level as Sbisa as far as defense goes?

by Mitchell Green on Jun 26, 2009 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions

the Flyers are pretty high on Kevin Marshall (drafted 41st overall in '07).....

by Orangeblood74 on Jun 26, 2009 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions

and also Marc-André Bourdon, he was 09’ QMJHL defensemen of the year……

by Orangeblood74 on Jun 26, 2009 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Hah

Ironic that you point out the irony of his statement and proceed to ignore its implications.

It’s a championship, man! Who cares about our future (which is still f’ng great by the by) when we have a really, really good shot at the cup this freakin year? We might not be able to keep all our guys, but if we want we have the cap space to keep Pronger and sign him to an extension. If he asked for $8m we’d still have the space, and he won’t. I know we all like Sbisa, but it’s Chris F’ng Pronger

by Alon on Jun 27, 2009 1:02 AM EDT up reply actions

How about this...

During Chris Pronger’s last two trades (to Anaheim and here), he was exchanged for Joffrey Lupul, a guy with the initials L.S. (Ladislav Smid and Luca Sbisa), and draft picks.

Far out.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Jun 26, 2009 9:57 PM EDT reply actions