According to Darren Dreger of TSN, Hall of Fame defenseman and current member of the Department of Player Safety Chris Pronger is in discussions with the Florida Panthers to join their front office in a role under GM Dale Tallon. Pronger’s NHL contract is just expiring with the Arizona Coyotes, though he hasn’t played in the league since 2012.
Regarded by many as one of the smartest players in the game during his prime, Pronger has been looking for the right fit in a front office since he left the game. Earlier this spring he reached out to former rival Steve Yzerman on how he should go about getting into management, and working under Tallon would be a similar path to the earlier executive career of Yzerman under Ken Holland in Detroit. With Tallon re-instated as GM, the Panthers have just two Assistant General Managers currently, Eric Joyce and Steve Werier. Fellow defenseman Bryan McCabe is currently the team’s Director of Player Development.
Whether Pronger takes a role with the Panthers or not, he’s clearly on a path towards a front office somewhere. His 1167 games will help him in that pursuit, as he has seen almost everything there is to see in hockey, including winning a Stanley Cup in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks.