Time is now for Flyers with Pronger trade

The Philadelphia Flyers made an unequivocal hockey deal in getting Pronger on their blueline. There is little doubt they are better now and much better than they were when Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin roamed the slot with impunity during the first round of the playoffs.

The Anaheim Ducks, on the other hand, made a deal based strictly on finances. With Scott Niedermayer committing to playing for the Ducks next season, there simply wasn’t enough cap space or dollars to go around, and dropping $6.25 million from their payroll represents a huge financial relief for the Ducks. They take back a total of $4.25 million in Joffrey Lupul — a staple in any trade involving Pronger — and promising young defenseman Luca Sbisa.

The view from this corner is that the Flyers are better today and the Ducks are worse. Down the road, though, you have to wonder whether the Flyers aren’t selling their souls for immediate gains because long-term, this deal could lead to financial disaster for a couple of reasons.

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