Who is the next Chris Pronger?

[Vic Vinegar]

correct answer.

Pronger is the last of a dying breed. Guys that are world-class and a top 10 at their position, tough as nails, intimidating, can control a game, and clutch.

Guys like that, of semi recent note, were Scott Stevens and Messier. Pronger is the only current player that combines ALL of those characteristics. Mike Richards was close... but he's not really intimidating.

The homer in me says Jack Johnson has that potential, but he is more of a skill player than Pronger.

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

The homer in me says Jack Johnson has that potential, but he is more of a skill player than Pronger.

I won't blame you. While I haven't watched JJ much at all, a buddy of mine threw his name out. He's got potential.

But there are few people who combine intimidation, top10 skills, and clutchness these days. Iginla used to do it, to a degree. But don't mistake being tough with actually scaring people. Messier, Stevens and Pronger could all scare people.

 

[Faryn]

There can only be one.

haha this made me laugh, I loved the Highlander series.

I think Erik Gudbranson is the most likely, as an Oilers fan I am hoping for Martin Marincin will I loved Pronger when he was with us and still consider him in the top 3 for all-around impact defensemen- hated that we were forced to trade him though I still like the player. Another one that has the physical area down is Dylan McIlrath but I don't think his offensive game is even close.

 

[Wheatking]

Isn't there always a "next Pronger" in every draft.

Big and Canadian? You're the next Pronger.
Skilled and European? You're the next Lidstrom
PP Specialist? You're the next Green...or MA Bergeron. There is no grey area.

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Also, how about Shea Weber? He's maybe not as good as Hart Pronger but still pretty damn good.

 

[yakitate304]

MA Bergeron

 

[TobiasE]

Darnell Nurse. He is in minor midget playing on Don Mills. Likely to be a top 5 guy.

Plays an extremely similar game style, just needs to continue developing

 

[BillyShoe1721]

I don't see any Chris Prongers coming along any time soon. Some guys may have the size and mean streak like Gudbranson but not the offensive upside. Weber has the shot, but not the defense. Oleksiak has the size but not the offensive upside. Pronger has the extremely rare blend of size, offensive skill, a cannon shot, a mean streak, an off the charts hockey IQ, and great defense.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

From what I've seen Nurse will not be like Pronger, doesnt seem to reach his personal potential when he plays. 2 Dmen playing for team alberta right now are Keagan Kanzig and Jared Hauf. Both 6'5 and 180 and 225 lbs respectively. Thats big at age 15, and they will only fill out more. Hauf (180lbs) was taken 3rd overall in the whl draft last year and Kanzig (220) was 7th, but if the draft was to be redone they could go 1 2. I heard 1 Q scout say he might take 1 of those guys over Nathan Mackinnon right now if he was in the Q draft. These guys are big, hit hard, great passers, and are incredible skaters. I havent seen much of them but what I saw I was very impressed. Hard to say right now how they will develop but they seem to have the entire package.

 

[YEGJuniorFan]

Griffen Reinhart. 6'4 good offensive instincts and plays mean

 

[Antropovsky]

Keith Aulie.....






But without the point totals.

 

[stubbadub]

The Undertaker

 

[Zach and Slater]

Griffin Reinhart

Before I looked at the responses this was who came to mind for me as well. The kid has it ALL, more than any d-man in a while...and the scary thing is that he is currently the 2nd ranked d-man coming out of the WHL for next year's draft! Ridiculous

EDIT: I see a few others said this as well, including WHL GURU Renegade Stylings! Nice!

 

[puckfan13]

The kid that's the next Pronger is probably 8 or 9 years old right now.

 

[Zach and Slater]

The kid that's the next Pronger is probably 8 or 9 years old right now.

Is he?! What's his name?

 

[PortlandWinterHawks]

Griffen Reinhart comes to mind

 

[CandiedBacon]

This. Kid is already a monster (6'4) as a 16 year old. Top 5 pick in 2012 book it.

Personally think he will be battling for No.1 overall with Yakupov and Murray

 

[Celtic Note]

EJ is not as physical as Pronger which might be good considering how the game is becoming less physical. Hope EJ can bounce back from a sub-par year, he has the talent to be great. Pietrangelo looks amazing, will be very good if he keeps on this track but I see him as a Scott Niedermayer type of d-man which Ill be happy with.

I don't see any prospect that has the talent, size, and physical play that Pronger has.

Pronger wasn't overly physical at that age either. His nastiness grew as he got older.

 

[GRIZZ]

Erik Gudbranson will be the next Pronger,
Martin Marincin will be more like Andrej Mezaros

 

[oilers9799]

If anyone was the "next" Chris Pronger they would be the consensus number 1 pick in their draft year and likely the year before. I don't think you realize some of you people realize how good Pronger really is. He has taken three different teams to the cup finals in recent years and made 4 Olympic teams! He has been on every NHL rostered Team Canada in history, that is an unprecedented length of domination. If he continues to play the way he is this season for the next few years he will likely be on Team Canada 2014 as well. Also I believe he has not missed the playoffs in his career, but correct me if I'm wrong on that point.

 

[dman3474]

On the being a mean sob scale Teubert has to be up there, he will never have the points though.

Question: Okay, I'd be remiss if I didn't ask you about the November 28th game against Russian in the ADT Challenge. The game is coming to its conclusion, the Russians are winning 5-1 and you come up with a bone-rattling check just before the buzzer. What is your version of the story?

Teubert: There are five seconds left on the clock and one of the Russian players has the puck and just because there are only five seconds left on the clock doesn't mean the game is over and he thought it was over. He was just lollygagging and I hammered him into the glass. I hit him just as the buzzer sounded and he didn't like it and a little melee ensued. Of course in that game we were not allowed to fight so they are holding me back and I wanted to fight this Russian guy because he is slapping me like a girl. There was a little bit of a brouhaha, as Don Taylor likes to say

http://insidesocal.com/kings/2008/06/colten-teubert-interview.html

I also remember something about him shooting pucks at the russians in warmups but cant find it now

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

Shea Weber

 

[rigger]

Didn't ream much of the thread but Weber is the only guy I can think of right now containing the size, shot, mean streak etc that Pronger has.

 

[Mike Liut]

Was Mike Keenan crazy for trading Shanahan for Pronger ? I thought he was originally. Shanny was my favorite Blue when the trade went down.

 

[BeastoftheEast85]

Was Mike Keenan crazy for trading Shanahan for Pronger ? I thought he was originally. Shanny was my favorite Blue when the trade went down.

I guess he thought that the team already had Hull scoring goals and needed a superstar defense-men like the one he lost in the Shanahan deal (Scott Stevens).