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Commentary, news, analysis and reader-driven discussions focusing on this year's Stanley Cup playoffs.
At the 1993 entry draft, the fledgling Senators, who were entering their second NHL season, passed on Pronger to take a flashy forward from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League: Alexandre Daigle. Daigle could skate like the wind, spoke two languages and bore more than a passing resemblance to Luke Perry of Beverly Hills 90210, which was sort of the American Idol of its day. Pronger, a towering defenseman with an even bigger up-side, fell to the Hartford Whalers with the second pick. Now, normally Daigle would just be chalked up as another No. 1 draft bust -- think Brian Lawton going No. 1 while Pat LaFontaine and Steve Yzerman went third and fourth in 1983 - if not for his memorable boast/observation that "nobody remembers who goes No. 2." Well, in this case hardly anybody would remember No. 1, except for that unfortunate photo shoot when Daigle, as a rookie, posed in a nurse's dress. He would go on to play 616 NHL games for Ottawa, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh and Minnesota as a journeyman of the first rank. (His last season in Ottawa was 1997-98.) Indeed, his latest journey has landed him in the Swiss Elite League, where he had 22 goals and 39 assists in 44 games for Davos this season. A fixture of the gossip columns, Daigle always seemed to like the hockey life better than he liked hockey, a tragic flaw for a winger who was chosen as much for his marketing possibilities as his skill. "Funny how things work out," said Pronger, the Anaheim Ducks' star defenseman, when the story was resurrected Friday. "Again, you’re 18 years old. You don't really know what to say in situations like that. And I guess my response is still the same. We'll see what happens in 10 or 15 years. And I guess it's come full circle."
posted by SI.com | View comments |
Comments:Is Michael Farber for real? He's really writing an article about how a misplayed draft pick from 14 years ago (!!!) might have saved the Senators from their current (tragic, I admit, as a Sens fan)fate? What a difference it would have made, since Pronger has played for 4 teams since his drafting. Of course the Sens would still have him at this point(note sarcasm). Farber should next write an article lementing the fact that the Leafs traded the pick that became Scott Niedermayer. Perhaps he should stop hypathetically re-writing history and actually look at the series that's happening. This is completely pointless. Hey, if the Sens had finished last instead of being good before the lockout, and drafted Sydney Crosby, they wouldn't be down 2-0; Farber should leap all over this headline. Nice job, Michael!
I think this is a big stretch. This is what happens with an extra day off between the games, there's nothing to talk about on the ice, so everyone goes grasping at straws.
How many draft picks are with the same team 15 years after they are originally drafted? Of the 1993 draft, exactly 1 first rounder (Saku Koivu) is still with his original organization. Much ado about nothing. Well kids, this is what happens when the finals come around: writers have way too much time on their hands. This story and the one from earlier in the week where Randy Carlyle and Selanne were not-so-fond teammates in Winnipeg around the same time frame as this draft pick "story" is a perfect example of the lazy days between Cup games.
Calm down fellas! It's always interesting to look back at what could have been. The point is not whether Pronger would still be skating with the Sens or not, but rather that they could have had one of the strongest defenseman over the past 15 years for even a few years. AND, possibly this wouldn't be their first finals appearance in 15 years if they had chosen him. It is unreal to think that Daigle was chosen before Pronger!
Not really. In just about every draft, you have several cases of 'Its amazing how X was chosen before Y.'
It happens. 14 years after the fact, it is more indicative of a slow news day than anything else. You could also mention the fact that San Jose traded the 2nd overall pick to Hartford for their pick, 6th overall (Victor Kozlov who they had coveted all along) and Sergei Makarov. Love the Niedermayer reference on here, Leaf fans rued all season that that pick could have been Lindros
Chris Pronger is a great defenceman, but I wouldn't want him on my team. There's a difference between being physical and genuinely trying to hurt somebody, and his elbow in McAmmond demonstrates more than what kind of player he is. It shows what kind of man he is - a lousy human being.
The NHL needs to do something about him, because he's a star who repeatedly takes shots at players' heads. My fave drafting mishap--and I say this as a Leafs fan--is the year Toronto was the only NHL squad to draft two (2) players in the first round before the Isles selected Mike Bossy in the 15th slot. I think that was 1977. There were many Leafian blunders, but that one really marked my sad ballardian childhhood in T.O.
Ottawa has made some bad decisions, but they've made far more good ones. Trading Yashin for the draft pick that became Spezza is an obvious winner.
Nobody drafts worse than Toronto, year after year, decade after decade. The Leafs management team are so inept that it has become comical. And what's even funnier is despite the team's marginal talent and hapless play, GM Ferguson still pretends his team doesn't need to rebuild. Perhaps it's because he knows the only way his team will get good players is by signing free agents ... the Leafs are chronically unable to pick winners in the draft. Ottawa is Canada's team. No, make that Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver or Montreal (all of which have made it to the Cup finals, and all but Vancouver have won cups in the past 20 years). Let's kill the fiction that Toronto is Canada's team once and for all. The Leafs are hopeless. Canada is not. all have won cups in the past 20 years?? last time i checked ottawa hasn't won in 80 years...twice as long as the leafs. How can you call Ottawa Canada's team.
I think the Flyers should never have traded for Lindros and kept Forsberg. Then we would be reading articles about how good the Flyers would be if, ten years ago, they traded for Pronger instead of Daigle. WIth such insight, I should be a sports writer!
Give it a break! You can't look back at what happened 15 years ago. And, as was mentioned, even if he was drafted by the Sens, Pronger would certainly be with a different team.
In any case, he's a cheap shot artist. Despite a good career, he never won anything (in terms of Stanley Cups, that is). He had to betray Edmonton and go to one of the best teams in the league to finally get a shot at the Cup. Way to go, Chris!! First what NHL team has not had similiar drafting blunders over the years. About 1 player per draft year makes an impact for a team on average, that means there are a dozen mistakes a year per team in any draft.
Second although Pronger faired better than Daigle, he is completely overrated, how many cup rings does he have, none, the only serious run at the cup he has contributed to was last year with Edmonton. Prior to this nothing! I am not saying he can't play but let's face facts he is no Scott Stevens or Niedermayer. Both Detroit and Ottawa have had success against him, so his reaction (elbow) was not surprising. Anaheim's success defensively can be attributed significantly to Niedermayer, Beauchemin and strong backcheck from the fowards as witnessed in Pronger's absence, forget the draft comparison it means little at this point!  |
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