Talkin' Trades: Pronger in black & gold?

The Ducks are looking to clear up some cap space and build for the future by moving Pronger and his $6.25 million contract that will expire at the end of the 2009-2010 season.

Cap space really can’t be the reason, I’m guessing. The team has 10 UFAs coming off the books and only really Pronger and Whitney signed to significant deals on the blueline.

I know it’s a popularly-cited reason that’s been used on nearly every Pronger rumor story, but as a guy who looks at next year’s Ducks salary commitments, I think the only reason to trade Pronger is (a) because of the potentially large trade return, or (b) if the Ducks are dead-set on re-signing Niedermayer for a big dollar amount. There’s nothing I can see, though, that suggests that the Ducks have to move Pronger before his contract expires — though from nearly every rumor I read, somehow everyone comes to that conclusion quickly.

they’ve said again and again that they don’t want to rip up this team…and i think trading kessel would do just that. our defense isn’t that bad (nor is it really that great, but they get the job done). with all of the UFAs we’ll have, taking on a contract like that is just asking for problems. we are already barely going to make the cap next year – why add a nice, but not particularly necessary, 6 mil?

ah well, chia will do it now just to spite me. but that was my train of thought.