The Chris Pronger Trade: Good or Bad?

This is not at all a knock on Flyers captain Mike Richards, who is developing to join the names of Flyers greats Bobby Clarke and Bill Barber. 

The Flyers, last year, and still into this season, are a young team.

  In 2007-2008, when the team went to the Eastern Conference Finals, guys like Derian Hatcher and Jason Smith were at the helm to be the off-the-ice leaders.

Last year, in his first season as captain, Richards did a fine job, but adding the leadership and experience, not to mention the bone-crushing hits and scoring ability that Pronger brings only makes the Flyers a better team.

Looking at what the Flyers gave up to acquire Pronger, you can’t determine if it was a good or bad trade until everything pans out, however, what the Flyers gave up can be replaced immediately.  Lupul was a role-type player that had great chemistry with fellow winger Scott Hartnell and center Jeff Carter.

With that said, the Flyers have not had any problems scoring goals.  Carter, Richards, Gagne, and Hartnell all eclipsed the 30-goal mark last season and if Daniel Briere and Claude Giroux played a full season, they both could have easily clipped that mark. 

Losing another 20-goal scorer and power play specialist Mike Knuble doesn’t help when it comes to goal scoring, but there is no doubt the Flyers will once again be at the top half of the conference when it comes to scoring goals.

The biggest problem the Flyers have had as a team is unquestionably defense over the last two seasons.

Adding a name like Chris Pronger to your backline instantly makes the Flyers a contender for the best team on paper in the Eastern Conference.

For all you superstitious Flyers fans out there, just look at what Pronger has done in his first year with his new team; take them to the Stanley Cup Finals.  In Edmonton in 2006, Pronger played a big role in taking a No. 8 seeded team within one game of hoisting the Cup.  One year later, after being traded to Anaheim, Pronger took that one leap forward and won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks.

In his first season with the Flyers in 2009, Pronger………….

Hopefully I can read this article in June 2010 and “…………….” will equal Stanley Cup.

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