Olympics: Why Pronger should not be on Team Canada...

[K1984]

Pronger plays his best hockey when it counts.

As far as the fear of dumb penalties go, he has a tendency to cut that out in the big games. If I'm not mistaken, he went a whole series without a penalty during the Oilers cup run.

 

[fatschoonerrat]

FWIW, I don't think there are too many Russian skaters faster than Kane. Kane's got wheels. I don't think Kovy could beat him.

 

[Heat McManus]

I love this Team Canada. I was vocally opposed to that team in '06, and we know what happened.

I like the GM and respect their decisions (unlike last time).

I'm just saying I have concerns about Pronger. Maybe, and hopefully they're unnecessary. But he's still racks up more penalty minutes than most other leading defensemen.

I assume he's going to be on our 3rd pairing, and that he recognizes the importance of not taking a stupid penalty, and he'll have good coaches and a dressing room peer group he does not want to let down.

for all these reasons, I'm not up in arms about his selection, but I am concerned about it.

as for replacement — how bout Chicago's Brian Campbell, or 6'6" stalwart Jeff Schultz is one of the league leaders in +/- and has all of 20 penalty minutes this season, or the best offensive defenseman the last 2 years, Mike Green, although he may have gone out tonight with a bad knee injury.

Mike Green and Jeff Schultz +/- is helped by the fact that they're on an offensive juggernaut. I'd say Green is a big part of that, Schultz not as much. There's only a +4 difference between Pronger and Green and Pronger has 22 more points than Schultz. Also, Green has only 11 less PIMs. Pronger has 58 PIMs this season, it's not like he's Tiger Williams.

Pronger has a Cup ring, a Norris, a Hart and an Olympic gold for a reason. After the 2006 season Brian Burke asked his staff what his team needed to win the Cup. 7/10 said "Chris Pronger" the other 3 said, "A stud defenseman". So, the Hall of Famer who got burned in one game? Or Jeff Schultz? The guy who makes guys **** themselves thinking about battling in front of the net and going into the corner? Or Brian Campbell?

 

[LannysStach]

Mike Green and Jeff Schultz +/- is helped by the fact that they're on an offensive juggernaut. I'd say Green is a big part of that, Schultz not as much. There's only a +4 difference between Pronger and Green and Pronger has 22 more points than Schultz. Also, Green has only 11 less PIMs. Pronger has 58 PIMs this season, it's not like he's Tiger Williams.

Pronger has a Cup ring, a Norris, a Hart and an Olympic gold for a reason. After the 2006 season Brian Burke asked his staff what his team needed to win the Cup. 7/10 said "Chris Pronger" the other 3 said, "A stud defenseman". So, the Hall of Famer who got burned in one game? Or Jeff Schultz? The guy who makes guys **** themselves thinking about battling in front of the net and going into the corner? Or Brian Campbell?

weeeellll . . . you certainly seem to be a big Pronger fan!

And come the end of February, I hope all of Canada is as well.

and it's not the opposite.

I don't care much for your Brian Burkian bluster, but I do hope I'm wrong, and he plays a series of "big games" well, because one wrong elbow against the wrong team . . . and it's Bertuzzi '06 all over again.

 

[sensfan83*]

Wow did someone just suggest Brian Campbell or Jeff Schultz over Chris Pronger?

I don't even know what to say anymore... I've lost all faith in humanity.

 

[CloutierForVezina]

Pronger plays his best hockey when it counts.

As far as the fear of dumb penalties go, he has a tendency to cut that out in the big games. If I'm not mistaken, he went a whole series without a penalty during the Oilers cup run.

This is incorrect, he did go the first 5 games of their series against detroit without taking a single penalty though.

He ended up with 26 PIMs in 24 games in that cup run.

Anyone worried about him spends too much time reading media articles and pouring over stats that don't tell the entire story. He will be a major part of our defense and will come through shining.

 

[LannysStach]

Wow did someone just suggest Brian Campbell or Jeff Schultz over Chris Pronger?

I don't even know what to say anymore... I've lost all faith in humanity.

yeah, okay. That was me. And that's hilarious!

aw'ight, you guys win.

but I'm tellin ya, if this Pronger guy screws up, I demand an autographed Jeff Schultz jersey.

 

[Seguins Dragon*]

this thread is FULL of fail...

We are NOT talking about turnover machine Bryan McCabe... or some idiot who broke someone's neck looking for redemption at the hockey world (Big Bert).. or an old grey beard there for reputation alone (Draper)...

We are talking about someone who is STILL A FORCE in the NHL

This is insanity, whats wrong with you people?

 

[Frank the Tank]

Wow did someone just suggest Brian Campbell or Jeff Schultz over Chris Pronger?

I don't even know what to say anymore... I've lost all faith in humanity.

Don't forget Willie Mitchell, who was offered up earlier in this thread.

 

[HoverCarle*]

Pronger makes great defensive plays every single game. He plays great against Ovechkin

 

[JCameron418]

Pronger should not be on the Olympic Roster so that USA can win.

Seriously one game against Atlanta that they lose and you seriously believe Pronger shouldn't be on the ice. Put away your hate for NHL teams for a little bit. Parise is on the devils but come Olympic time he's gonna be a hero in my book.

 

[Canucker]

While I absolutely HATE Pronger there isn't really anyone who can replace what he brings to Team Canada. He should definitely be on the team, my concern is that he and Niedermayer are going to be leaned on too heavily and won't be able to rise to the occasion. I would hope that if they show they can't raise their game early in the tournament that their minutes be reduced and role diminished.

 

[Dado]

I shudder to think what he's going to do against Russia, where every player is just as fast.

Why "think" about it? He plays Malkin 8 times a season, and Ovechkin 4 - how has he done?

 

[Heat McManus]

weeeellll . . . you certainly seem to be a big Pronger fan!

No, I just realize he's a damn good player with a ton of experience and is a better bet than Brian Campbell (just ask Scotty Bowman) and Jeff ****ing Schultz.

yeah, okay. That was me. And that's hilarious!

aw'ight, you guys win.

but I'm tellin ya, if this Pronger guy screws up, I demand an autographed Jeff Schultz jersey.

If by, Pronger "screws up" you mean he gets beat by another one of the best players in the game then I'm sure at some point in the Olympics he might. If you mean he does something like Patrice Cormier, then I don't think he will.