ProngerGate

First of all, I want to thank “Captain Insano” from the FMB for the title idea. Thanks bud.

Marian Hossa’ contract isn’t the only one being scrutinized by the NHL. An NHL source told SportingNews.com that the league is investigating Philadelphia’s 7-year deal with Chris Pronger to see if it circumvented the CBA and salary cap.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed the investigation of Pronger’s contract in an e-mail to SportingNews.com.

Daly said Pronger’s contract was being investigated for the same reasons as Hossa’s deal.

On Thursday night, the Ottawa Sun reported that the NHL was looking into the Hossa negotiations to see if Chicago discussed Hossa’s possible retirement before the end of the 12-year contract. Daly told the Sun that the league was trying to get an understanding whether or not the intent of the Hossa deal was to circumvent the salary cap.

“We want to know if the possibility of player retirement was ever discussed or even contemplated,” Daly told the Sun.

The same goes for Pronger.

Pronger, who turns 35 in October, signed a deal that extends into his 40s. Because of his age, Pronger’s cap hit would remain if he retires but the league would take issue with any years tacked on just to drive down the annual cap hit. When asked earlier this week about the length of his deal as well as some of the other recent long-term deals signed by NHL players, Pronger said they fall within the rules of the current CBA.

“I’m sure that will get addressed at the proper time,” Pronger told SportingNews.com. “As of right now, that’s the system.” – via TheSportingNews.com

Every couple decades, we, as NHL fans, are gifted with a mere handful of players that are able to go those extra couple years and play into their late 30′s, early 40′s. Of course I’m talking about some of the all-time greats here like Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard, Bobby Orr, Bobby Hull, Joe Sakic, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Patrick Roy, Ray Bourque, I could sit here for a better portion of the night and name players just from memory and supply more with a little research.

Marian Hossa is one of the better players of this generation. His drive, ability and talent will live far beyond his 12 year deal with the Blackhawks. At 30 years old, his deal will end when he’s 42 and who knows what will happen after that? The Blackhawks wanted to secure him for the rest of his career and seemingly, that’s what they did.

Chris Pronger is arguably one of the top 3 active defensemen in the NHL. Over the past 10 years, he has consistently put up at least 40 points per season (including 2000-2001 where he only played 51 games and had 47 points), he’s 3 years removed from winning the Stanley Cup and shows no sign of stopping. 34 years old with one year left on his deal from Anaheim. The Flyers sign him to a 7 year extension as another vertebrae in the backbone of this club for the years to come.

 Wait a minute… Hossa and Pronger? Wow, this just goes to show how much the NHL offices think we don’t know. The honeymoon must be over.