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Edmonton columnist revisits Pronger trade, confirms Oilers made out well

Pronger Edmonton

The Edmonton Sun’s Terry Jones -- a recent Hockey Hall of Fame inductee -- wrote an interesting piece revisiting Edmonton’s 2006 Chris Pronger-to-Anaheim deal.

Then-Oilers GM Kevin Lowe flipped Pronger to the Ducks for Joffrey Lupul, Ladislav Smid, Anaheim’s first-round pick in 2007, a conditional first-round pick and a second-round pick in 2008.

Here’s how it all panned out:

Smid: “This year, the defenseman the Oilers believed would develop into a major-minutes, total-pro top-four defenseman who came out of that deal,” Jones writres. “Ladislav Smid appears to have finally become.”

Lupul: Edmonton traded Lupul to Philly (with Jason Smith) for Joni Pitkanen, Geoff Sanderson and a 2008 third-round pick. Sanderson retired, the third-round pick was Cameron Abney and Pitkanen was traded for Erik Cole. Cole was turned into Patrick O’Sullivan (and a second round pick). O’Sullivan was turned into Jim Vandermeer and the second-round pick was turned into Ales Kotalik, neither of whom are with the team.

In short, Lupul became Abney.

2007 first-round pick: Traded (along with a second-round pick) to the Coyotes for their 21st overall selection, where the Oilers took Riley Nash. Nash was later traded to Carolina for Martin Marincin.

2008 Conditional pick: Because the Ducks made and won the Cup Final in 2007, the pick became a first rounder. Edmonton used it to select Jordan Eberle 22nd overall.

2008 second-round pick: Traded to the Isles for Allan Rourke and a third-round pick that originally belonged to the Oilers. That third round pick allowed Edmonton to offer-sheet Dustin Penner (Oilers had to compensate Anaheim with first-, second- and third-round picks, all of which had to be originals.)

Penner was then dealt for Colten Teubert, a 2011 first-round pick (Oscar Klefbom) and a third-rounder in 2012 than will become a second-rounder if LA makes the playoffs.

So what does it all mean in the end?

“Kevin Lowe traded Chris Pronger for Jordan Eberle, Ladislav Smid, Colten Teubert, Martin Marincin, Oscar Klefbom, Cameron Abney and a player to be determined,” Jones writes. “Helluva deal.”

In retrospect, maybe. But one wonders if Edmonton isn’t kicking itself for the questionable Nash selection (taken ahead of Max Pacioretty, Jonathan Blum and David Perron) and getting so little out of Lupul.