In the span of one day, Chris Pronger’s prospects went from “probably coming back in Game 5" to “won’t play tonight” to “don’t expect him back until the second round, at the earliest.” That final prediction comes via the latest update from CSN Philly’s Tim Panaccio, who reports that Pronger and Jeff Carter aren’t likely to play another game in the Philadelphia Flyers’ first round series against the Buffalo Sabres.
For Pronger, it seems like’s more about being effective than actually being able to make an appearance. He obviously plays a confrontational, sometimes bullying style of hockey, so few would shed a tear if the Sabres targeted the hulking defenseman’s surgically repaired right hand. Even if something nefarious didn’t happen, he was seen wincing when he took slap shots, a sign that he wouldn’t be able to use that functional part of his game.
It doesn’t sound too great for Carter’s comeback hopes, either. Panaccio reports that Carter is suffering from a severely sprained MCL ligament in his injured right knee after colliding with Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers. The goal-scoring forward was seen wearing a brace today.
Now, it’s important to note that this information comes from anonymous sources. Still, if this is indeed the case, an already challenging series becomes that much more foreboding for the Flyers. Naturally, we’ll keep you updated, as both players’ injury situations are fluid ... to say the least.