Chris Pronger: The best NHL defenseman in NHL history?

He dominates games, he gets inside the heads of his opponents, he picks up tons of points (for a defenseman -- especially in the playoffs), he's on the ice for half the game shuting down opposing teams star players, he knows what he can get away with and when he can get away with it, and he wins Stanely Cups everywhere he goes. He's a completely unselfish player too (blocking shots, giving credit to other players when he's mistakenly awarded a goal, and the huge amount of assists).

No doubt a hall of famer. Possibly even the best in history when looking at his total game and what he does for his team.

lol, no.

Dirtiest superstar player of all-time? Possibly.

yea.... lol

lol, no.

Dirtiest superstar player of all-time? Possibly.

SuperSaiyanLink

*Ahem*

Not even close. He's incredibly effective, and I hate to admit that he's a very talented and useful defenseman, but he's not the best ever. I don't think he's top 10(although sadly, he's very close to breaking that threshold). Hall of Fame first ballot entry for sure, unfortunately.

I really do wish he wasn't arguably the dirtiest player in NHL history. If he was 1/8th as dirty I think I wouldn't mind him. But he IS incredibly filthy, worse than Ulf Samuelsson and Gary Suter and Bobby Clarke, and that says something.

And before anyone says "You just hate him because he's not on your team. If he was, you'd like him and forgive all his dirty play.", No. My hometown team(and second favourite team), Edmonton, got Pronger. As soon as he put on that jersey, I stopped cheering for Edmonton. When he left, I started up again.

If San Jose somehow got Pronger, I would stop cheering for them outright, and probably sell my merch. We've dealt with his goonery in far too many playoff series to add him to our team without him being a cancer. I would just cheer for Edmonton or find a new team until Pronger left, and even then, San Jose would be soiled for a good long while.

Brian Leetch!

Brian Leetch!

entropyecho

Orr and Bourque couldn't sniff Pronger's shorts. /sarcasm He's the biggest (figuratively and literally) punk in the NHL. He gets away with so many trips, cross-checks, and hooks that it's almost funny if it weren't so cheap.

No. Of active defensemen he is not the best. Lidstrom, Chara are both better for example.Nifty_Shark

not the best in history but he is great :D

I knew this thread would turn into a Pronger bashfest unfortunately. Pronger is a Top 3 Defenseman in this league, best ever no, however he's probably in the top 15.

I wonder how many pucks he's stole in his careerAnti-Venom

Umm nope

Lidstrom is better then Pronger.

[QUOTE="SuperSaiyanLink"]

lol, no.

Dirtiest superstar player of all-time? Possibly.

lobodob

Thirded.

He's not even the best defenseman of the past decade.

Here's a partial list of defenders that are (or were) LEAGUES better:

• Bobby Orr
• Ray Bourque
• Nicklas Lidstrom
• Chris Chelios
• Larry Robinson
• Denis Potvin
• Paul Coffey
• Doug Harvey

And the list could easily go on. Most overrated defenseman in NHL histroy? I think you'd have legs to stand on there.

[QUOTE="lobodob"]

[QUOTE="SuperSaiyanLink"]

lol, no.

Dirtiest superstar player of all-time? Possibly.

3KindgomsRandy

And the list could easily go on. Most overrated defenseman in NHL histroy? I think you'd have legs to stand on there.

i somewhat agreed with you until this part :lol:

[QUOTE="3KindgomsRandy"]

[QUOTE="lobodob"] I second this. He's a douche.

munchlax99

And the list could easily go on. Most overrated defenseman in NHL histroy? I think you'd have legs to stand on there.

i somewhat agreed with you until this part :lol:

[QUOTE="3KindgomsRandy"]

[QUOTE="lobodob"] I second this. He's a douche.

munchlax99

And the list could easily go on. Most overrated defenseman in NHL histroy? I think you'd have legs to stand on there.

i agreed with you until this part :lol:

[QUOTE="munchlax99"]

[QUOTE="3KindgomsRandy"]

And the list could easily go on. Most overrated defenseman in NHL histroy? I think you'd have legs to stand on there.

psychobrew

i agreed with you until this part :lol:

i meant somewhat agreed :P

[QUOTE="psychobrew"][QUOTE="munchlax99"]

i agreed with you until this part :lol:

munchlax99

i meant somewhat agreed :P

Whew! I was starting to worry about you. :P

The thing about Pronger is he just keeps getting better with age. Kind of like Jamie Moyer, but with star talent.

Umm nope

Lidstrom is better then Pronger.

Fizzman

I think you're just excited about the Stanley Cup Finals, to be honest.

He's not even the best amongst active players.

He's not even the best amongst active players.

ragek1ll589

Stats are not everything.

these guys that are mentioned are and were all great or at least very good.

If I could select my personal all time squad ....

Tim Horton

Red Horner

Red Kelly

Brian Leetch

Scott Neidermeyer

Dennis Potvin

Brad Park

the enforcer is Eddie Shore

as far as current players go the best defenceman probably is Lidstrom.

No one can or has played the amount of minutes every single game like Lidstrom and done it so well.

his awareness is second to none. Lidstrom makes an art of containing players as opposed to destroying them. The puck may go by him but the player will not.
he has six Norris Tropies, a Conn Smythe and four Stanley Cups. you can not argue with success.

[QUOTE="ragek1ll589"]

He's not even the best amongst active players.

psychobrew

Nick Lidstrom, Duncan Keith, Drew Doughty, Mike Green, Erik Johnson, Scott Niedermayer...

[QUOTE="psychobrew"][QUOTE="ragek1ll589"]

He's not even the best amongst active players.

ragek1ll589

Nick Lidstrom, Duncan Keith, Drew Doughty, Mike Green, Erik Johnson, Scott Niedermayer...

Um, most of those guys aren't playing right now.psychobrew

When I said active I meant, as in, not retired.

[QUOTE="psychobrew"]Um, most of those guys aren't playing right now.ragek1ll589

When I said active I meant, as in, not retired.

Well, maybe if they were so good they'd be in the SCF?psychobrew

One player =/= entire team.

If Pronger were so good wouldn't he be nominated for the Norris Trophy this year?

First of all he only has 1 ring so that is where your argument gets shaky. Then you have to consider that Lidstrom exists to remove him from even being the best defenseman of this generation. For all you people who say you ahte him because he's dirty and you would sell all your related merchandise if he was ever on the team you are all idiots. Considering Clarke broke Kharlamov's ankle in order for Canada to win in 72 that was like a million times dirtier than a couple cross checks and trips here and there.

Pronger is a very good D and clearly Hall of Fame worthy but GOAT no way.

[QUOTE="psychobrew"] Well, maybe if they were so good they'd be in the SCF?ragek1ll589

One player =/= entire team.

If Pronger were so good wouldn't he be nominated for the Norris Trophy this year?

*Ahem*

PBSnipes

[QUOTE="ragek1ll589"]

[QUOTE="psychobrew"] Well, maybe if they were so good they'd be in the SCF?psychobrew

One player =/= entire team.

If Pronger were so good wouldn't he be nominated for the Norris Trophy this year?

[QUOTE="psychobrew"][QUOTE="ragek1ll589"]

One player =/= entire team.

If Pronger were so good wouldn't he be nominated for the Norris Trophy this year?

DarkPrinceXC

My deal with Pronger is the Flyers would not be where they are right now without him. He is as complete as the come -- shuts down offensive stars (look at what he's done to the Blackhawks #1 line), scores and assists goals, and does whatever he can to help his team win (even if it means stealing pucks). And it's not just Gamespot that is biassed against him. Search out any NHL forum and mention Chris Pronger and you'll see what I mean.

Pronger is getting better with age. He's like fine wine with a mad dog 20/20 attitude.

What is your deal with Pronger? We all know he's a good defenseman, but he's getting old. There's no way he's the best defenseman in the league. But I suppose you're right, hockey fans on Gamespot are certainly the cause of him not being nominated for the Norris.DarkPrinceXC

As you can see from this thread, he would have been nominated this year if people weren't so biassed against him.psychobrew

:lol:

Not to take anything away from Pronger since he will all-but-certainly go down in history as one of the league's best, toughest defencemen, but come on. He isn't anywhere near as good as the best of the best like Orr or Borque, and he wasn't nearly as good as Keith or Doughty (or Green, although I don't get how someone so relatively weak in his own end gets nominated for the Norris; or Shea Weber or Dan Boyle for that matter) this season.

he is not even the best of his era. he is a quality defenseman, but by no means is he the best ever

Don't get me wrong, Pronger is a great hockey player. He is an offensive threat and is not afraid to block shots with his body. But he's not even an honorable mention for best defenseman in NHL history. He's in the top quarter of active defenseman though.

Ray Bourque says hi.

Not even close. Bobby Orr, Brain Leetch, Ray Bourque, Nick Lidstrom, and Scott Stevens just to name a few.

Ray Bourque says hi.

one_plum

Borque, Lidstrom and Orr say no