Remembering Chris Pronger

Tonight, former Oilers D Chris Pronger will enter the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Without a doubt, Pronger has earned this honor. His career stats stand out like a sore thumb, while Pronger also won a Stanley Cup in Anaheim in 2007 with the Ducks. He still remains the best defender I have ever seen play this sport, ahead of both Zdeno Chara and Nicklas Lidstrom

I won’t go over the big defender’s career, many other people will do that today, but I wanted to talk about his 2005-06 season as a member of the Edmonton Oilers.

The Entrance:

Pronger came to Edmonton overnight in what was a shocking trade in August of 2005. The Oilers dealt Eric Brewer, a solid NHL defender, and two prospect defenders, Jeff Woywitka and Doug Lynch, for Pronger, who would then sign a long-term contract extension with the Oilers.

Edmonton also traded for Mike Peca that day, marking a change in Oil Country from conservative to all in. For one year at least, it was a genius strategy by GM Kevin Lowe.

Without a doubt, the Pronger trade was Kevin Lowe’s finest hour as GM of the Edmonton Oilers.

The Warm-up:

Chris Pronger’s 2005-06 regular season was, in a word, amazing. Pronger played in 80 of Edmonton’s 82 games and registered 56 points on the season. His 44 assists that year were good for fourth on the team, and he led all defenders in points in Edmonton by a whopping 21.

Pronger was a monster on the power-play for Edmonton that year, he was able to distribute the puck with ease and had a bomb from the point that only Sheldon Souray has been able to replicate on this roster since then. On the penalty kill, he was just as good. Pronger led an Oilers PK unit that was extremely solid all year long and that played a key role in the team making the post-season.

At five-on-five, he came as advertised, he was simply sensational for the Oilers. He led the team in ice team on the back-end and gave the Oilers a calming presence that they truly have not had since then. If there is one thing I remember about Pronger that year, it was that when he was on the ice, you felt a certain comfort that things would be going in the right direction. That comfort hasn’t been with me since.

Pronger’s dominating regular season was arguably the biggest reason Edmonton went to the playoffs, he was their best player that year.

The Show:

The 2005-06 playoffs were Chris Pronger’s finest moment. It’s bold statement, I know, but I believe these 24 games were the finest 24 games of his career. Pronger’s performance that post-season was, and still is, the best playoff performance I’ve seen in any sport over the course of a full run.

He scored 21 points in 24 games, good for the team lead, and played close to what felt like 30 minutes a night. He was absolutely dominating, anyone who went head-to-head with him that spring was shut down. His performances against Detroit, San Jose, Anaheim and Carolina were unreal, he dominated on a nightly basis.

For those that can’t remember, I want you to think back to this past spring and Duncan Keith’s stellar performance for the Chicago Blackhawks. Now imagine a performance that is a wee bit better than that, that was Pronger in 2006.

If Edmonton won the Cup, there was no doubt he would have won the Conn Smythe trophy, I’d argue that he should have won it anyways.

Heartbreak:

Chris Pronger’s trade request, which apparently came around Christmas time according to Kevin Lowe, was the first true heartbreak for me as a fan in terms of a player leaving. 12 year old Alex didn’t fully understand the business of sports, but this certainly was a rude lesson I’ve never forgot.

Pronger requesting a trade out of Edmonton, especially after the spring that the city just went through, was an absolute kick in the gut. The fans haven’t really recovered since, and I honestly don’t think the organization has either.

Outside of a short stint with Sheldon Souray, the Oilers have not had a true number one defender since Pronger left town. They also haven’t made the playoffs since Pronger left and they haven’t been relevant on the ice past Thanksgiving in the States for the most part since that trade. That’s hard to swallow.

I hated Chris Pronger for a long time after that July afternoon in 2006 when he was traded to Anaheim because of his request. I was young, I didn’t get it. It still hurts me today, that’ll never change, but I understand the off-ice part so much more now.

The ending is still bitter, just as bitter as Ryan Smyth’s trade in my mind, but the story was magic. Chris Pronger’s one season in Edmonton wasn’t enough time, but it was certainly enough magic and fun.

On the day he goes into the Hall of Fame, it’s only right to remember Pronger’s season in Edmonton, the one that truly made a young me fall deeply in love with the Edmonton Oilers.

Thanks Chris, and congrats on getting into the Hall, you deserve it.