NHL's Top 50: Chris Pronger (No. 17)

FanHouse's Adam Gretz takes a look at his top 50 players in the NHL. No. 17 is Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger.

You can question how much the Philadelphia Flyers were willing to give up to acquire Chris Pronger at this year's NHL draft (Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and two first-round picks), and you can also question the sanity of the seven-year contract extension they signed him to a few weeks later (the NHL certainly is).

Something that's difficult to question? How much he and the city of Philadelphia are a perfect fit for one another, and how much better he makes the Flyers, at least for the next couple of seasons.

The NHL's Top 50 Players: See the Entire List

The Numbers: Chris Pronger
Chris Pronger	Goals	Assists	Points	Pim
Career Totals	142	464	606	1,457
Average Per 82 Games	11.4	36.9	48.3	117.2

Draft Year: 1993

"Nobody remembers who was chosen No. 2" -- Alexandre Daigle

Taken second overall by the Hartford Whalers, one spot after Ottawa selected Alexandre Daigle. The Whalers traded him to St. Louis after two seasons for Brendan Shanahan.

Why He's On My List

Perhaps the most hated player in the NHL -- unless he happens to be playing for your team -- he brings intimidating size, brute strength and a cannon of a shot from the blue line to a Flyers team that should now have one of the best defensive trios in the league with Pronger, Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn. Combined with one of the deepest collections of forwards in the league, the Flyers should be a strong contender for the Eastern Conference title - assuming they get compotent goaltending from Ray Emery and Brian Boucher. He's a five-time All-Star, owns a Stanley Cup ring, and has won both the Hart Trophy as league MVP, and the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman. He's also been named as the dirtiest player in the NHL, though, that's probably not a good thing.

Obligatory YouTube Video

A collection of Chris Pronger goals.