PRONGER TO PHILLY - Xmas in June

[BAMBAM]

FINALLY.....a masher on the blueline who can shoot the puck AND HAS WON BEFORE. Instantly gives this team a presence in the locker room that they haven't had since Hatcher went down. Gave up nothing to get him. Lupul and my name is Luca were disposable as were the two picks. GREAT GREAT MOVE :flex:

[steelheader]

Pronger is a gamer with a cannon from the blue line. Good move.

[fm8418]

never have too many dirty players

[steelheader]

never have too many dirty players

No such thing as a dirty hockey player

[solt0131]

Excellent move by the Flyers as it's obvious they are loading up to challenge the Champs, but can they get it done with Robert Esche in goal????

[frozenntimesports]

Excellent move by the Flyers as it's obvious they are loading up to challenge the Champs, but can they get it done with Robert Esche in goal????

Robert Esche? Didn't they sign Emery. I'd rather have Biron than either of those guys. I pulled an Esche press plate the other day and was like, great, this guy's playing in Spain or something, if he's back in the states I'll unload it before he gets shipped away again.

[ilovethelakings]

I hate to see Pronger leave the west coast. Even though I am not a Ducks fan, I did like seeing him play on local television. He should fit in just fine in Philly because he is one dirty and mean S.O.B.

[Kent Clements]

Sorry but I don't like the move !! Pronger comes with a high price tag and now the Flyers will have to get rid of some of their core players.


Kent

[BAMBAM]

Lupul was making 3 mil or so this year so thats half right there. Don't know what Luca Sbisa was scheduled to make but remember they lost Biron and Nittys contracts so they don't have to lose anyone else I don't think. Knuble is an UFA and may take less money to stay here since he and his family are dug into the community. They have a lot of scoring at forward and Lupul won't be missed especially if Van Riemsdyk is the real deal.

Razor Ray Emery is the goalie at 1 year for $1.5mil . Marty wanted big time money and isn't a big time money goalie IMHO. I don't think he can take a team all the way although he didn't get much help from the Flyers young D against the Pens. MAF's D was suspect and he stole them a few games in that series.

I'm stoked about this deal if Pronger stays healthy all year long. The late 1st round picks mean nothing if Pronger plays his A game all year.

[EGRHOCKEYFAN]

Sorry but I don't like the move !! Pronger comes with a high price tag and now the Flyers will have to get rid of some of their core players.


Kent

I agree with Kent. I am a big Flyers fan and the Flyers lose 1/3 of their future team. The draft in 2011 will be similar in talent to the 1999 draft. The Flyers gave up more then either the Oilers or Ducks gave up to Anaheim. One year in Philadelphia for two generations of players will only hurt the Flyers chances for the Cup. I don't see the Flyersw winning the Xup with Pronger, since theyu don't have experience in the crease.

[solt0131]

Right now though, they are a better team with Pronger than without and that's what matters to them right now.

[BAMBAM]

Exactly Rob. You make deals to improve your chances of winning and they did just that. Right now, before he plays even one shift in Philly, Pronger is hands down the best, most complete Dman they've had in years. Who said Pronger will only be here 1 season ? The cap space situation will only get better every season especially once Briere's is up. I'll be shocked if the Flyers don't get a new deal done with Pronger before the season even starts.

What exactly is this huge loss of the future are you guys talking about ? You guys are upset about giving up 2 picks at the end of the first round ?(pretty sure they'd be picking late again next year) This years draft is rather average and a crap shoot after the first 6 or 8 picks so odds are they gave up nothing big this year. Emery is the big key to 09-10 because Pronger will be solid. If Emery tanks then its back to the FA market goalie again which should be better next season.

[Bobcat88]

Count me in the camp that doesn't think this is a good deal for Philadelphia. They gave up two first round picks as well as Sbisa, who looks like he'll be a very good defenseman in his own right (as well as Lupul) for an expensive and old Pronger. Great trade for the Ducks.

[solt0131]

The Pens gave up Armstrong, Christensen, Esposito and picks for Hossa and won the Cup this year with none of those players. I don't buy into it's a big deal losing those picks. This isn't the NFL as most of the guys picked in the first round will never even see the NHL.

[Bobcat88]

The Pens gave up Armstrong, Christensen, Esposito and picks for Hossa and won the Cup this year with none of those players. I don't buy into it's a big deal losing those picks. This isn't the NFL as most of the guys picked in the first round will never even see the NHL.

Lupul is better than Armstrong and Christensen alone. I'd also rather have Sbisa than Esposito. Then, of course, I'd rather take the two first round picks over just the one that Pittsburgh gave up. Also, Hossa is significantly younger than Pronger.

It's also not true that "most of the guys picked in the first round will never even seen the NHL." Do some research. That's jut not true. Over half the guys drafted in the first round will make the NHL, and many will become impact players. There is a very, very good chance Anaheim gets at least one good NHLer with those two picks.

Also, the Pens winning the Cup had nothing to do with the Hossa trade this year. Saying the Pens offered a big package for Hossa and won the Cup isn't supporting evidence of trading for Pronger being a good move at all. If anything, that Hossa trade got the into a jam in which they didn't have enough solid wings. Luckily for Pittsburgh, the Kunitz and Guerin trades happened that were much more integral in winning the Cup than the Hossa trade. The Flyers are going to be even more hosed if Pronger jumps ship after one season after not winning the Cup, a la Hossa.

[solt0131]

No matter what you say dude, the Flyers are better now with Pronger. This isn't the NFL or NBA draft where first round picks are more valuable. Guys that are picked in the late first round, most end up being the dime a dozen type of free agents that any team can pick up whenever they want too.

The Pens winning the Cup had a lot to do with the Hossa trade because if Hossa resigns the Pens won't win the Cup because Tierien is still coaching.

[BAMBAM]

I can't believe Rob and I are in 100% agreement on an NHL topic for once. :eek: Fact is the Flyers are a better team on the blueline now then they were when they were when we last seen them blowing a 3 goal lead at home Lupul isn't worth the 4.5 mil he was going to make this season. Sbisa might be very good some day but no guarantees there. I doubt he'll be an all-star someday but I'd rather see him here still then some of the other liabilities the Flyers have back there (Carle, Jones). I honestly wished they could have talked the Ducks into Matt Carle with his soft game and ridiculous contract but it is what it is now.

The Flyers are 5 mil or so under the cap and will probably look to get an extension done with Pronger as well as re-sign Knuble or a role player at forward before camp begins. Snider, Homer and the rest of Flyers organ I zation wants to win NOW. Pronger gives them a much better chance.

[frozenntimesports]

Even if Sbisa becomes one of the top defensemen in the league, you gotta take Pronger because he is right now. I wouldn't give up on Matt Carle yet, he could be a mini-Mike Green.

Pair 1 Pronger-Carle
Pair 2 Timonen-Coburn

Ouch.

[Bobcat88]

I can't believe Rob and I are in 100% agreement on an NHL topic for once. :eek: Fact is the Flyers are a better team on the blueline now then they were when they were when we last seen them blowing a 3 goal lead at home Lupul isn't worth the 4.5 mil he was going to make this season. Sbisa might be very good some day but no guarantees there. I doubt he'll be an all-star someday but I'd rather see him here still then some of the other liabilities the Flyers have back there (Carle, Jones). I honestly wished they could have talked the Ducks into Matt Carle with his soft game and ridiculous contract but it is what it is now.

The Flyers are 5 mil or so under the cap and will probably look to get an extension done with Pronger as well as re-sign Knuble or a role player at forward before camp begins. Snider, Homer and the rest of Flyers organ I zation wants to win NOW. Pronger gives them a much better chance.

Say what? The Flyers are about 2 million under the cap. They can't afford Knuble (another downside of the Pronger deal).

[BAMBAM]

Say what? The Flyers are about 2 million under the cap. They can't afford Knuble (another downside of the Pronger deal).

Where did you get this number ? So you say 2 while Homer says 5...think I'll go with Homer.:rolleyes:

[Bobcat88]

Where did you get this number ? So you say 2 while Homer says 5...think I'll go with Homer.:rolleyes:

NHL Numbers (http://www.nhlnumbers.com/overview.php?team=PHI&season=0910) has the Flyers with around $2.4 million in cap space left.
Fox Sports article on Pronger Deal (http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/9742158/Time-is-now-for-Flyers-after-Pronger-deal) says "they are only about $1.25 million under the salary cap for next season already."
The Tribune-Review (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_631357.html) notes that the deal "positions the Flyers about $2 million under."

They definitely don't have $5 million in cap space, that's for sure. Keep rolling your eyes though, it's classy. The rest of the hockey world is rolling their eyes at the Flyers for their questionable deal.

[BAMBAM]

Your link doesn't work and if its the one I think it is it wasn't updated lately. Here is one for you from TODAYS paper :

With the free-agent market opening Wednesday, the Flyers are not expected to make any big noise, but they do have some gaps to fill. They still need a backup goalie, and they would like to get Mike Knuble, an unrestricted free agent, back under contract. There are a number of teams interested in him, but Knuble would like to stay here and the Flyers would like to keep him. They are about $5 million under the cap.

"We have work to do. We'll take a look at things and get busy," Holmgren said

[Bobcat88]

Check my updated post. I have 3 sources easily found and documented that show the Flyers between $1-2.5 million in remaining cap space. And the link does work -- sometime you just need to hit refresh though.

[BAMBAM]

I guess either Homer is clueless, Rich Hoffman can't report things correctly or your sources are wrong. This came straight from Rich Hoffman who covers the Flyers as their beat writer and he did this interview probably Saturday or Sunday with Homer so its as up to date as could be after all the weekends activities..

[solt0131]

In the words of Herm Edwards - "You play to win the game" and the Flyers are playing to win. I don't care who it is but when you improve your team to win now, I'm for it. The fact still remains that Pronger is slow and won't be able to keep up with the Pens speed by time the playoffs come, but that's another story. He should allow them to make a run at home ice in the playoffs which cost them dearly this year. You also trade from your strength to improve your weakness and that's what they did. I wouldn't go crowning Luca Sbisa yet. "If you wanna crown their ass, then crown em"

Sorry I couldn't resist that one.