Multiple Reports: Chris Pronger Traded to the Los Angeles Kings for Jack Johnson and the 5th Overall Pick
by Jonathan Willis on Jun 12, 2009 1:06 PM MDT
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PrintWell, I just made fun of Andy Strickland for jumping the gun and then quickly backtracking, but now a second source is reporting that Chris Pronger has been dealt to Los Angeles. Steve Ludzik of The Score is also reporting that the Kings have sent Jack Johnson and the 5th overall pick to Anaheim in exchange for Chris Pronger.
TSN and Sportsnet have yet to confirm, so it's still possible that this hasn't happened, but at this point it seems likely that it has gone through. This is a very steep price for L.A. to pay for one of the game's better defensemen, and the inter-division trade represents a big risk for both teams.
We'll have to wait and see the exact details, but if the trade is exactly as outlined I think Anaheim wins it; that 5th overall pick is going to be a very good player and Johnson's a respectable prospect in his own right.
Two more things which I think we can say are likely if this trade has transpired:
- Los Angeles is out of the Dany Heatley sweepstakes
- Scott Niedermayer will return for another season in Anaheim
UPDATE: The Score isn't backing away from this; here's their analysis. This still hasn't been reported on TSN or Sportsnet, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if the details aren't complete at this point.
UPDATE II: Rich Hammond, the most connected guy in Los Angeles, got a text message (I thought that only happened in Edmonton?) from Dean Lombardi. Here it is, reprinted in its entirety: "Rumors not true." Combined with the fact that TSN and Sportsnet are still not reporting this, I think The Score may also have jumped the gun. Tanks to Dirk Hoag for sending this along.
UPDATE III: Apparently every GM out there sends text messages (someone drop Terry Jones a mem... no, make that a text message). Erik Duhatschek asked Anaheim GM Bob Murray, who sent back the following text message: "NO". There remains the possibility that this deal will transpire once the NHL roster freeze ends, but those denials are awfully emphatic.
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Beat me to that point by about five minutes. But yes, that’s point #3: LA is out of the theoretical Sheldon Souray sweepstakes.
SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there)
But
Anaheim’s now in!
“Hi, my name is Sheldon, and I’m a duck.”
I wonder if that worm Strickland will have them burning furniture in Orange County?
Makes no sense
Why would the Kings give up that much for a UFA at seasons end? Yeah Pronger is an elite dman but without an extension the downside of losing him at the end of next season is ridiculous.
I don’t have a clue whether the trade is going to happen, but the league maintains a public policy of no player movement until after the finals. It’s sort of like the public fiction that you can’t deal with free agents until July 1st, but it is there. With that in mind, I don’t think those denials necessarily have any thing to do with whether a trade has been agreed or not.
As for the potential of the deal, I’m not sure I’m a believer in Jack Johnson, but trading him and the 5th for a very good player on the decline smacks of desperation. This is a time for Lombardi to show some patience, IMO. There are a number of teams that are going to be budget and/or cap squeezed . Some good players are going to shake loose, and the Kings have the cap space to scarf up a few bargains this summer.
Ownership?
I wonder if ownership might not be pushing Lombardi hard to win now.
Then again, he did a good job of building with the Sharks but that was back when he had to watch every penny; it could be that (much like Glen Sather) Lombardi’s a better GM with a strict budget than he is when he can pursue every shiny object out there.
It's only my opinion, but it's right.
Writer for The Copper & Blue, OilersNation, and CanucksArmy.
by Jonathan Willis on Jun 13, 2009 10:13 AM MDT up reply actions
They might very well be, Jonathon, but by patience I really just mean waiting to see if some good younger players are forced out for salary reasons in places like Philly or Detroit. Lombardi can likely improve the Kings quite a bit for this season without giving away a very good draft pick. I wouldn’t be surprised if they moved Johnson down the road for personality issues, but that’s a different matter. L.A. didn’t give up a lot of shots this season, so I’d be inclined to go after a high end forward if they want to move Johnson, then add a D man through free agency. Simon Gagne and Francois Beauchemin, maybe?
by Robert Cleave on Jun 13, 2009 1:56 PM MDT up reply actions
Fair enough
I wouldn’t move that 5th overall pick but eveything I’ve been hearing for a couple of months tells me that Lombardi will. I don’t get it; I think most good teams restock via the draft, and that 5th OV pick will be very good in a few years.
It's only my opinion, but it's right.
Writer for The Copper & Blue, OilersNation, and CanucksArmy.
by Jonathan Willis on Jun 13, 2009 6:07 PM MDT up reply actions
What a move for Bob Murray, though, if it's true...
He brings in Whitney and Wisniewski making Pronger or Niedermayer moveable (and with this trade,if true, it appears that Niedermayer has decided to play another season); so he gets Johnson (and only time will tell on him) plus that draft pick.
So he has a young and solid D, anchored by Beauchemin and Niedermayer; plus what looks like a solid #1 in Hiller (which means Giguere is moveable — “Hello, Burkey?”), plus Perry-Getzlaf-Ryan for a #1 line/1St PP line, plus that draft pick (“Hello, Burkey” and others OR draft there himself), plus taking the Wings to 7 games just a short time ago.
Not a bad way to go into next season. If the trade goes through. And really, if it doesn’t as well.
by Gary Bettman's Evil Twin on Jun 15, 2009 12:57 PM MDT up reply actions
LOL
Yea I told my parent that pronger got traded then I turn on the tv and find out it was not true it made me look like a jackass, LOL. Pronger strikes again!!!!!
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