Pronger Makes Debut
Chris Pronger made his eagerly awaited debut Wednesday night with the Ducks. But it was more than his first game with a new team.
Pronger’s appearance on the Arrowhead Pond ice marked a symbolic move toward putting a difficult off-season behind him. The drama of his departure from the Edmonton Oilers is in his past.
“I’m glad to get started,” Pronger said. “It’s the start of trying to build up chemistry and bond with your teammates. It doesn’t happen overnight. I’m sure there’s going to be growing pains.”
The details of his July 3 trade have been well-chronicled. Days after the Oilers lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals to the Carolina Hurricanes, the five-time All-Star defenseman wanted out of Edmonton for personal reasons.
Along with it came a frenzied search for the real reason for his request. Pronger adamantly denied Internet-fueled rumors of infidelity in a Times article July 30 and again Tuesday in a report in the Edmonton Journal.
Pronger was back doing what he does best against the San Jose Sharks as he played 21 minutes and assisted on a goal in the Ducks’ 6-3 victory.
“It’s always nice to get back on the ice,” he said. “That’s kind of your comfort zone. That’s where you can let go of all the outside distractions, everything going on in your personal life. Whatever it is, you can just get away to your refuge.”
Pronger was the target of scorn from Ducks fans throughout the Western Conference finals last season, but there were only cheers when he assisted on Teemu Selanne’s goal.
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The Ducks sent eight players to their minor-league affiliate in Portland, Maine. Those assigned were defensemen Brian Salcido, Clay Wilson and Nathan Saunders, wingers Shane Hynes, Trevor Gillies and Pierre Parenteau, center Ryan Carter and goaltender Nathan Marsters.
Defenseman Brett Festerling and goaltender J.P. Levasseur were returned to their junior teams. Festerling plays for Vancouver of the Western Hockey League and Levasseur plays for Rouyn-Noranda of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
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