Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Pronger to return tomorrow?

Chris Pronger

Buffalo Sabres’ Philadelphia Flyers’ during the first period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series, in Buffalo, N.Y., Sunday, April 24, 2011. (AP Photo/David Duprey)

David Duprey

In conjunction with our round-the-clock Mike Green updates, PHT is also committed to bringing you the latest in Chris Pronger news.

So, here goes: According to NHL.com’s At the Rink blog, the Flyers captain could return from his eye injury on Wednesday against the Lightning. Pronger’s now fully participated in two straight practices and flew to Tampa Bay with his teammates this afternoon.

“I’ve got to see how I feel after today. I didn’t feel too hot (Monday), so we’ll see how I feel today after a pretty good skate,” Pronger told reporters. “You don’t realize how quickly you can lose it when you’ve done nothing for seven days, you’re bedridden for four of them -- the joints need to be moving. Sometimes while I feel like I’m 25, when you’re laying decrepit in your bed for four or five days, you get a little tight and stiff.”

Decrepit laying aside, most signs suggest Prong Kong (a friend of mine granted permission to use that nickname, feel free to try it) will get back to action tomorrow. He’s already missed six games and doesn’t seem keen on missing a seventh. He skated extensively with usual blueline parter Matt Carle and participated in all of Philly’s powerplay drills. Head coach Peter Laviolette said Pronger looked good during Tuesday’s practice and Claude Giroux said “he looks in great shape.”

Final note: If Pronger does return on Wednesday, he’ll be wearing a visor. Team ophthalmologist Dr. Stephen Goldman refused to clear him unless he wore one.