Blog - Internet Holmgren on Pronger; Off-Season

[Irishjim]

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren gave a brief update on the team's captain, Chris Pronger, while in attendance of Tuesday's Philadelphia Sports Congress Award Ceremony in center city's Wanamaker Building.

"I saw him this morning. He continues to have some good days and then some bad days. So I don't know if that's any update. He struggles.”

Pronger was diagnosed by doctors to be suffering from severe post-concussion syndrome back on Dec. 15, 2011.

At that time it was also announced that he would be lost for the remainder of the regular season and entire playoffs.

Pronger began the 2011-12 season appearing in the first eight games before suffering a serious eye injury when a follow through on a shot from Toronto's Mikhail Grabovski caught him up high in the first period of the Flyers' 4-2 win on Oct. 24.

He would go on to play an additional five games, recording five assists in the process, until coming out of the lineup following the Flyers' 6-4 loss at Winnipeg on Nov. 19.

Overall, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound defenseman appeared in just 13 games during the regular season, posting one goal and 11 assists for 12 points and averaging over 22 minutes of ice time (22:28).

As for next season?

Holmgren was quick to point out that it is simply too early in the off-season to tell.

“I think it's too soon. We're still holding out hope that he can, that he starts to get better [and] turns a corner in that regard, and I would say right now there haven't been any signs that show us that that's in the near future. But, we'll see how it goes the rest of the summer.”

Holmgren also touched on a variety of other subjects including the impressive play of the entire group of young players during this past season, and what he expects from them for next season.

"I think the expectation level on a lot of our young players, that's one thing we talked about. Wayne Simmonds, [Jakub] Voracek, [brayden] Schenn and [sean] Couturier, we talked with all those guys at the end of the year, especially for Schenn and Couturier, it was their first real year [and] taste of the NHL.

"Next year they're not going to be rookies and going to be forgotten by the other teams. They're going to be recognized as players and they're gonna have to step up their work in the summer time, and be prepared to step up next year."

As for the future of the Flyers, the team's scouts will begin their annual meetings with management later this week to go over their results from the NHL Scouting Combine, leading into the NHL Draft, taking place June 22-23 in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The Flyers own the 20th overall pick and four additional picks at the moment, all of which are listed below:

1st Round

(20th overall)

3rd Round

(1 pick - from San Jose)

4th Round

(1 pick)

5th Round

(1 pick)

7th Round

(1 pick)

[Podein25]

Wha? No 2nd rounder? Where do they go?

[idahophilly]

Hommer pobably traded them away to get rid of Richards and Carter.

[fishbulb]

Didn't we send one or two 2nd rounders in the Grossman/Kubina deals??

[sarsippius]

Didn't we send one or two 2nd rounders in the Grossman/Kubina deals??

I believe they held 2 2012 second round picks acquired in other deals, and traded one each in the Grossman and Kubina acquisitions

[radoran]

I believe they held 2 2012 second round picks acquired in other deals, and traded one each in the Grossman and Kubina acquisitions

You are correct, sir!

http://www.flyershistory.com/cgi-bin/trade.cgi

[sarsippius]

You are correct, sir!

http://www.flyershistory.com/cgi-bin/trade.cgi

Hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day! Versteeg, ugh.....

[radoran]

Hey, even a broken clock is right twice a day! Versteeg, ugh.....

Did I ever tell you the story of how the Flyers traded Danny Briere and Vinny Prospal for Adam Burt? :-)