Chris Pronger: Goon or enforcer?

Well, we are all allowed to make mistakes now and then. I will admit I made one with Chris Pronger. A while back, I acknowledged his committment to the Ducks organization by stepping in as an assistant coach while head coach Randy Carlyle was absent and Pronger was recovering from a jaw contusion. But after last night's atrocious stomp on the calf of Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kesler, I will retract my previous statement.

For those of you who didn't see this incident, during the second period of last night's game between the Ducks and Canucks, two Canucks players went in to check Pronger along the boards behind the Ducks goaltender. One of those Canucks was Kesler, who fell to the ice after the check. As soon as he hit the ice, Pronger appeared to blatantly stomp on Kesler's leg. Keep in mind, Pronger was wearing a skate and the blades are razor sharp. Kesler was not injured on the play, but both he and Pronger are very fortunate that nothing extreme resulted from this. Nevertheless, I am shocked at how the NHL decided today that no disciplinary action is needed for Pronger.

Earlier this season, Chris Simon was suspended 30 games for his stomp on Pittsburgh's Jarko Ruutu. In that situation, Ruutu did not receive any damage to his leg, but the NHL felt it was necessary to suspend Simon, a repeat offender. Yet, with Pronger, the NHL for some reason felt there was no clear evidence to say he meant to "stomp" on Kesler. From video replays, it shows Pronger doing one of two things: either he was trying to gain momentum to head down the other side of the rink by 'revving' up his right foot OR he was stomping Kesler's leg like a raw piece of meat.

Chris Pronger is a great defenceman, no question about that. He can score, hit and block shots effectively. But with all his foolish acts in the last two seasons with the Ducks, it's becoming clear Pronger plays with a massive chip on his shoulder. Whether it was the cheap elbow shot on Dean Mccammond in last season's Stanley Cup Final or last night's stomp, Pronger is quickly becoming a major pest to teams across the NHL.

As bitter as I am in the way Chris Pronger left Edmonton, I am starting to see the benefit of not having him play for the 'Copper and Blue' anymore.