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I'm sure he'll re-sign. The Blues know how important he is and do have a $60,000,000 payroll to work with.
There is no way there will be hockey next year if "cost certainty" reaches 60 million,looking at that chart above makes me think the Blues are in big ***** next year if a cap comes in around 35 million as most experts predict it will.
Sorry,but there will be a CBA that protects the entire league's future and not just teams like the Blues,Wings,Av's,Rangers...etc
This discussion belongs on the "Business of Hockey board. However, will just suggest that those clamoring for a salary cap (read: forcing good teams to lose their players thanks to artificial barriers) as the magical solution to the NHL's financial woes best consider that parity bites. As does punishing great drafting, trading and other means by which successful teams assemble superb rosters.
The cap will guarantee that such teams are punished and reduced to the level of their mediocre brethren. How socialistic in nature. How wretched for a fan. Yuck.
This fan opposes a cap not because he favors the union (he doesn't). But because, as a capitalist, he favors success to be rewarded.
I simply can't fathom how someone can say that they've watched Chris Pronger this year and can say that he isn't back to his Hart/Norris Trophy season.
All I know, if St. Louis management wishes to let Pronger walk, there are 25+ other teams that would love to take him. For example, could you imagine his effect on a team like Tampa Bay? Or in NJ as a replacement for Stevens? LA? Dallas?...And so on?
Fortunately for the Blues, willing to bet that management does not share the sentiment of a few fans here about his play. I've only seen about 10-12 full Blues games this season, but he sure looks like a force to me.
Boy oh boy, if Larry Pleau knows what's good for him, SIGN THIS GUY UP. If the UFA age gets lowered (which it looks like it might), will Pronger skip town if he doesn't get an extension this year? Stay tuned, this one will essentially be the be all and end all of the Blues franchise. Pleau MUST get this guy signed.
I think Larry will get that donr like you said he has too. The thing about the Blues is they do their business in a very quiet way. the last contracts to pronger and Tkachuk came out of the Blue. THEY WILL GET THAT DONE.
If Pronger wants more than 6 mill per season, let him walk... hell, even 5 mill might be a stretch. Injuries and his play that past couple years isn't worth the money he makes now.
I respectfully disagree any other player leaves before him, he has been as good this year as when he won the Norris and Hart.
Season holder or not, you obviously haven't been watching Pronger. If you really think he has played well defensively, then you're living a Blues pipedream. Offensively he's wonderful, I'll give him that. Defensively he has downgraded himself from MVP to almost non-existent. And plus, Osgood has clearly been the Blues MVP so far, definately not Pronger.
I think St.Louis will get a deal done with Pronger. He's still a force out there and even with cost certainty/salary cap looming, he would still be a guy that would be worth spending $$$$ on.
He's a 2 way d-man that can log 30 minutes a game. Not many of those guys around. He'd look good as a replacement for Lidstrom when he leaves Detroit
This discussion belongs on the "Business of Hockey board. However, will just suggest that those clamoring for a salary cap (read: forcing good teams to lose their players thanks to artificial barriers) as the magical solution to the NHL's financial woes best consider that parity bites. As does punishing great drafting, trading and other means by which successful teams assemble superb rosters.
The cap will guarantee that such teams are punished and reduced to the level of their mediocre brethren. How socialistic in nature. How wretched for a fan. Yuck.
This fan opposes a cap not because he favors the union (he doesn't). But because, as a capitalist, he favors success to be rewarded.
LOL!! St.Louis really got their money's worth for Weight(8.5 mill) Tkachuk(10 mill) and Pronger(9.5 mill) didn't they?
Please, all they and a few other teams did by paying the highest bid for these guys was win an auction and put the whole league at risk.
Parity bites? tell that to the 37% more fans the NFL have got since their last CBA which created parity...please!!
Call me socialist, call me a communist if you want, but if you think the NHL can survive paying dollars like that without a big national TV contract(which will never happen without parity) then i suggest you take a deep breath and look for another sport to cheer for,or maybe you would like a 6 team league again because thats about how many teams can afford a 60 million dollar payroll.
I think St.Louis will get a deal done with Pronger. He's still a force out there and even with cost certainty/salary cap looming, he would still be a guy that would be worth spending $$$$ on.
He's a 2 way d-man that can log 30 minutes a game. Not many of those guys around. He'd look good as a replacement for Lidstrom when he leaves Detroit
Dont say that are you trying to give me a heart attack I am still young.
LOL!! St.Louis really got their money's worth for Weight(8.5 mill) Tkachuk(10 mill) and Pronger(9.5 mill) didn't they?
Please, all they and a few other teams did by paying the highest bid for these guys was win an auction and put the whole league at risk.
Parity bites? tell that to the 37% more fans the NFL have got since their last CBA which created parity...please!!
Call me socialist, call me a communist if you want, but if you think the NHL can survive paying dollars like that without a big national TV contract(which will never happen without parity) then i suggest you take a deep breath and look for another sport to cheer for,or maybe you would like a 6 team league again because thats about how many teams can afford a 60 million dollar payroll.
While I agree with your premice that they need to level the playing field for small market teams dont blame the Blues for having an owner with the recource to pony up for these players. If the Blues didnt give them big money they would have gotten it somewhere else.
As for the TV contract they also need to market the game better inthe states and dont hide from the phsical aspects of the game (Not only fights, but yes that too) when marketing the game. The physical aspects that hockey allows along with the finese is what makes the game special.it seems to me that they dont sell the physical part enough in the states.
You bring up a good point about the NFL people love contact sports the NFL doesnt try to hide the fact that they have a contact sport, where the NHL does to an extent in the states in my opinion.
One final thing they nees to get away from ESPN in the next contract they flat out dont give a **** about hockey.
I must disagree with the 'Dr of Hockey'. Everyone looks bad on certain plays on certain games, but Pronger is flat out nasty to play against. We can go around and around, but as others have said, you are in the minority with your opinion.
Pronger can control games when he's on. When he is not on, it usually doesn't matter defensively because people are crossing the ice to go against his partner anyway. Watch him a bit closer next time you're in Yuppie Heaven, and I don't mean when he has the puck. Watch him away from the play and you may change your mind. The guy is not as good as he was when he won the hardware, but he's damn close.
He is unloseable at this point and LP knows that. He'll get re-signed for sure.
I absolutely agree that I'm in the minority. It's not hard to see that. But to say that he is even close to MVP status once again is just plain wrong. Offensive-wise, sure. Maybe you're right that I haven't been watching him good enough behind the plays, but I have yet to see him consistently make outstanding physical plays like he used to. I really miss that about him and I certainly wish he had that back. He's absolutely healthy now and there's no excuse for this lack of physical play or lack of heart (as far as I'm concerned). In the past you used to be able to see him on the ice out there all the time -- he would make himself known. At the games that I've seen him in lately, he's just another player. Danton, on the other hand, has been spectacular. That guy has heart.
While I agree with your premice that they need to level the playing field for small market teams dont blame the Blues for having an owner with the recource to pony up for these players. If the Blues didnt give them big money they would have gotten it somewhere else.
Isn't that the point? the current CBA has destroyed the ability for 70% of the league to compete,if their was a cap of say 35 mill would any team have given say a Tkachuk 35% of their payroll? No,he would probably be still playing in the Desert for the team that drafted him and gave him the chance to make nice dollars to play NHL hockey.
IMO,Pronger knows he's never going to see 9.5 million any time soon after this year and it's him thats in the panick mode for a new contract...the Blues will sit back in "wait and see mode" knowing nobody else would be stupid enough to sign him for that kind of dollars if there is a cap of some kind coming.
anyone eh? I do not recall anything being said about Bertuzzi coming to the Leafs when he had contract problems earlier in the year. I guess you two are wrong.
In the past you used to be able to see him on the ice out there all the time -- he would make himself known. At the games that I've seen him in lately, he's just another player. Danton, on the other hand, has been spectacular. That guy has heart.
I can see where you are coming form with that. I agree with alot of that. But I think it may be better that he isnt seen as much. If you remember the yeat after the trophies, he was under the microscope by the refs. He was getting called on everything. I believe he is almost just as nasty as ever. He just isnt getting caught. If you watch him extremely close,he sneaks alot of elbows in there and are not usually caught. So in that aspect , i think hes better. Because what good is he in the box. And thats where he would be.
Danton on the other hand, Oh boy what a little firecracker he is. He deserves alot of props for keeping his eye on the clock tonight. And he never forgets to finnish his checks.(even if they are a little late sometimes )
Speaking of Pronger, has anyone heard if he is ok? After Lindros boarded him, he did come out for 1 moody shift. But he wasnt on the ice the rest of the game. And he wasnt there to congratulate Divis.
Isn't that the point? the current CBA has destroyed the ability for 70% of the league to compete,if their was a cap of say 35 mill would any team have given say a Tkachuk 35% of their payroll? No,he would probably be still playing in the Desert for the team that drafted him and gave him the chance to make nice dollars to play NHL hockey.
IMO,Pronger knows he's never going to see 9.5 million any time soon after this year and it's him thats in the panick mode for a new contract...the Blues will sit back in "wait and see mode" knowing nobody else would be stupid enough to sign him for that kind of dollars if there is a cap of some kind coming.
He will get less money in his next contract and Hadleys Newsletter that is basically the sourse of this thread says he is willing to take less in his new deal. Hopefully when the new CBA is reached the Big contracts of players like Tkachuk, Weight ect that the Blues have will be Grandfathered in our something because if there is a 35 million dollar cap and their isnt that ability a lot of good players will be sitting there without jobs and that isnt good for the NHL either. You need these high dollar high skill players for your New TV deal.
LOL!! St.Louis really got their money's worth for Weight(8.5 mill) Tkachuk(10 mill) and Pronger(9.5 mill) didn't they?
Please, all they and a few other teams did by paying the highest bid for these guys was win an auction and put the whole league at risk.
Parity bites? tell that to the 37% more fans the NFL have got since their last CBA which created parity...please!!
Call me socialist, call me a communist if you want, but if you think the NHL can survive paying dollars like that without a big national TV contract(which will never happen without parity) then i suggest you take a deep breath and look for another sport to cheer for,or maybe you would like a 6 team league again because thats about how many teams can afford a 60 million dollar payroll.
First, regarding your suggestion (about looking for another sport): I've been watching this sport before your parents knew each other, so I don't need your advice. Second, would love to hear why any TV network will suddenly give a "big national TV contract" because of parity, Einstein. The sport doesn't work on TV and the US sports audience doesn't love it, never will. So your feeble reference to the NFL is totally specious. Think before reciting the tired old lines fed to you by TV exec$ interested not in you at all, but rather in lining their own pockets.
"St.Louis really got their money's worth for Weight(8.5 mill) Tkachuk(10 mill) and Pronger(9.5 mill) didn't they?"
Obviously, the point is lost on you. It's not a question of whether or not the Blues or any other team makes good or bad decisions, it's whether or not teams have the right to try to improve themselves as they wish. The Blues, to a point, have made some questionable, high-priced signings. Other teams have done worse (NYR), others better (Detroit). Others do not have the resources to even try. And, meanwhile, Anaheim and Carolina have played in the last two Stanley Cup Finals! Yes, the league is soooo "unbalanced". Ah-yes, the salary cap will solve the league's economic problems (translation: force affluent teams to operate like cash-strapped teams), even out competition (read: give my team a chance to win and destroy well-constructed teams), cure world hunger and turn the NHL into the NFL. :p
Equally weak is the ultra-unoriginal cliche of holding up the NFL as the model of sports greatness. Love it when fans evaluate leagues based on TV ratings. As if that in itself means the quality of product is superb. Ask anyone who watched pro football in the 70s, 80s and early 90s if the product was better then or now, sport. "Oh but the NHL needs the revenue!" Yep, the NHL getting an NFL-like TV contract - your baseless pipedream - is going to mean anything to you or the average hockey fan. :p "Oh, it will mean the sport is more popular!" Great...and?...so?...
It's unoriginal thinking like that which leads to other wonderful cliches like "We have to make the game more exciting for the casual fan!"
"...all they and a few other teams did by paying the highest bid for these guys was win an auction and put the whole league at risk.
Spare us the melodrama. Your's is the same crowd chicken-littling the NHL sky is falling next September. Sure.
No. Just that if anyone has the slightest contract problem the Toronto Media hops all over it saying they want to be a Leaf, is what he was saying methinks.
~Canucklehead~
And that is our fault as fans that the Toronto media does these things? but anyhow enough of that.
The big point is if STL let Pronger walk you would have alot of teams swarming in to snatch him up he's a natural star and shows that everytime he steps on the ice. I seriously doubt Pronger is going to become a UFA any time soon CBA or no CBA the blues simply won't let it happen.
First, regarding your suggestion (about looking for another sport): I've been watching this sport before your parents knew each other, so I don't need your advice.
Really,your a real old dude then because i watched firsthand your name sake break into the league in the 70's...funny how everyone is older and smarter on the internet. :p
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Obviously, the point is lost on you. It's not a question of whether or not the Blues or any other team makes good or bad decisions, it's whether or not teams have the right to try to improve themselves as they wish.
I think my point is very valid,i'm not just talking the Blues here i'm talking about all the nitwit Owners/GM's with big pockets outbidding each other for players and driving up salaries to the point of insanity.All these goofs saw Detroit and Colorado get a few cups by paying huge dollars and thought they could buy one as well..guess what! most big spenders haven't even made the finals in the past few years.
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Equally weak is the ultra-unoriginal cliche of holding up the NFL as the model of sports greatness. Love it when fans evaluate leagues based on TV ratings. As if that in itself means the quality of product is superb.
Nothing weak about useing the the most successful pro sports league in N-America as an example.The way you talk,nobody goes to see the NFL game live,that its only a TV game If the NHL can never be as popular as the NFL as you claim (and i agree) then how in hell can the league pay it's players more money?
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Spare us the melodrama. Your's is the same crowd chicken-littling the NHL sky is falling next September. Sure.
Would you like a friendly bet on the NHLPA's sky will fall come september?
You must be a baseball fan and in love with the Yankee's
[QUOTE=T@T]LOL!! St.Louis really got their money's worth for Weight(8.5 mill) Tkachuk(10 mill) and Pronger(9.5 mill) didn't they?
Please, all they and a few other teams did by paying the highest bid for these guys was win an auction and put the whole league at risk.
QUOTE]
Ok, well so a team shouldn't RESIGN their players if they can? Because that's what the Blues did in all three cases, after they traded for each of these players. I don't remember the last time the Blues signed a big name UFA. Just because Calgary can't afford to keep its players doesn't mean the Blues shouldn't keep theirs.
i think at the end of this season buffalo should ditch Zhitnik and campbell and take a run at Neidermayer and pronger, good run's at getting them, a great top 2 and them kalinen, tallinder, last 2 could be fitzpatrick and a rookie.
but i think pronger becoming a UFA is unlikely, i think he loves that team to much.
to the NHL's financial woes best consider that parity bites. As does punishing great drafting, trading and other means by which successful teams assemble superb rosters. 
He deserves alot of props for keeping his eye on the clock tonight. And he never forgets to finnish his checks.(even if they are a little late sometimes 
)
