Pronger Dealt !

Oilers deal "D" Pronger to Ducks

July 3, 2006

EDMONTON, Alberta (Ticker) - Chris Pronger got his wish.
After asking the Edmonton Oilers to trade him, the team honored his request on Monday, dealing the star defenseman to the Anaheim Ducks for right wing Joffrey Lupul, defenseman Ladislav Smid, a 2007 first-round draft pick, a conditional first-round selection and a second-round choice in the 2008 draft.
After nine stellar seasons in St. Louis, including winning the Hart and Norris Trophies in 2000, Pronger, 31, was traded to Edmonton last August 2. He had 12 goals and 44 assists in 80 contests with the Oilers this past season.

The 6-6, 220-pound Pronger also had five goals and 16 assists in 24 playoff games for the Oilers, who lost the Stanley Cup Finals to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games. His 21 points were the most scored by a defenseman in the playoffs since 1994, when Brian Leetch had 34 for the New York Rangers.
But shortly after the postseason ended, Pronger - a four-time All-Star and three-time Olympian for Canada - expressed his desire to leave Edmonton, and the Oilers found a willing taker in the Ducks, who already have a star defenseman of their own in Scott Niedermayer.
"We believe having Chris Pronger join Scott Niedermayer on our blue line gives us two of the top defensemen in the NHL today," Ducks executive vice president and general manager Brian Burke said. "Players of this caliber don't become available very often, especially when they are still in the prime of their career."
Lupul, 22, had 28 goals and 25 assists this past season, his second in the league.
"We also wish to thank Joffrey Lupul and Ladislav Smid for what they have done for this organization during their time with us, and wish them the best in the future," Burke .

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Joffrey Lupul

The 22-year-old Edmontonian (Lupul) made history earlier this year as he scored four goals in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals against Colorado, becoming the first player in NHL history to score four goals in a playoff game, including the overtime winner.Smid, originally drafted by the Ducks in the first round (9th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, played his first season in North America with the AHL’s Portland Pirates after playing three seasons with HC Liberec in the Czech Elite League. The 20-year-old native of Frydlant, Czech Republic notched career-highs in points (28), goals (3) and assists (25) in 71 games with the Pirates in 2005-06.