October 23, 2025 • 20 mins
On this episode of Our American Stories, for Sean Pronger, playing in the NHL was a dream come true. Skating beside Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player of all time, was something he’d imagined since childhood. But when that dream finally came true, he was hungover. What followed was one of the most surreal games of his life and one of the funniest stories in hockey history.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is our American stories, and we tell all kinds
of stories here on the show. This next story is
the story of Sean Pronger, and he was a journeyman
NHL player who got his start on the hockey beat
at a very young age. Close to home. Here's Sean
(00:30):
with his story.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
To talk about the Gretzky chapter, we're gonna have to
go back to where it all began, Dryden, Ontario, Canada.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
I grew up in Dryden, a great town. Love living there.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
But if you don't like hockey and you don't like
ice fishing, you probably aren't going to enjoy your time
in Dryden because it is remote. It's four hours from
the nearest city, four hours a peg from thunder Bay.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
And it's winter there for about eight to nine months,
and we're talking real winter.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
When it's thirty to forty below is the norm, And.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
So there's not a lot to do if you don't
enjoy those two activities. And fortunately for me, my brother
loved playing and all of our buddies love playing, so
we would play on our driveway.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
We would play on the street in front of our house, and.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
We had an outdoor rink a block away and so
we played hockey NonStop, but I think the real games
were down in our basement at one sixty one Saint
Charles Street. Like every town in Canada or every city,
hockey Night in Canada was a big deal, and everything
kind of just stopped, you know. All plans were made
before or after hockey Night in Canada on Saturday nights,
(01:46):
and our house, the Pronger House, was no different. We
would my mum and dad would come down there, my
brother and I would settle in and watch the game,
and every intermission or commercial break was time to play
one on one right in front of my parents with
our floor hockey sticks. And I was always a forward,
Chris was always a defenseman. And I look back down
(02:08):
and just laugh because my parents just watched. Basically, their
two sons just beat the out of each other while
her and my dad would just kind of sit back
and relax and enjoy the entertainment. And so we would,
Like I said, I was always forward. So then I
would dump it into the fake, you know, into the
living room corner, and he would go back to get it,
and I would ram his head into the dry wall
(02:30):
and then we'd brawl, and you know, just repeat that
over and over for I don't know, eight or nine years,
and so every game, every hockey night Canada, we would
do that. And I was always gretz Sky and he
was always bossed, even though Bossy wasn't a defenseman. Christmas
favorite player was Mike Bossy growing up and mine was
Wayne Gretzky. And with Dryden being where it is, we
(02:52):
were four hours in Winnipeg. A couple times a year,
the Pronger family would load up the family truckster and
head up to Winnipeg to watch the Jets play the
Oilers in the the old good old Smithe division's obviously,
I love watching ninety nine play and uh and how
he could see everything and see the game was just
a real thrill.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
But one time we went up there and we the hotel.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I'm not sure if my dad knew this or we
just got lucky, but the hotel that he booked us
in was the same hotel the Oilers were staying in.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
And I'll never forget.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
We're in the lobby and we're we're just kind of
hanging out down there and we kind of look up
and there's Kevin Low and Wayne Gretzky and my brother,
just like like their old buddies.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
As we're walking past, He's like, hey.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
KeV to Kevin Low, if I that hilarious now that
you know. Kevin Low would then go on to uh
sign my brother to a massive contract, and then he
would ask to be traded a year later.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Their history started early.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
So then then, so we're in the hotel and we're
kind of just like trying to figure out a way
to go see more players, and I'm trying to figure
out how to wait to see Gretzki. They're in the
Gresky's in the dining room or the restaurant, and my
brother and I were kind of peering around the corner
like checking him out. He was I think he's having
breakfast with Glenn Say there. So I'm watching him thinking, well,
I don't want to bother him when he's eating.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
I just seems weird. And about that.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Time, a guy came up behind me and he had
a jersey. He said, hey, kid, can you go get
this autograph for my son? And I said, well, this
is kind of weird, but you know, I'm kind.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Of taught, like you know, you won't say no to adults.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
So I walk over interrupt his breakfast and said, mister Gretzky,
would you mind signing this? I could tell he was reluctant,
just because he's in a restaurant, and you know, years
later I'd figure out why he didn't want everybody else
to think they need to come to in an autograph.
But anyway, he signed it. He was a gentleman, he
was great. I gave it to the guy and it
(04:45):
dawned on me years later that that guy probably wasn't
getting it signed for his son. He was probably hawking
it at a memorbi in the shop. But lesson learned.
So anyway, I you know, passion for Eiler hockey and
my the fact that wayn Grisy my idol sort of
at a very young age. And then if you fast
forward years later, I'm now, you know, in my own
(05:07):
career in the NHL. Actually you were where year started.
I was playing for the Penguins at the end. I
got traded on the end of ninety eight. But the
play is set up in the slide where Promer gets
himself in a great position.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
From the Anaheim Ducks or Mighty Ducks. Back then, Sean
prom is a good kid, and I.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Finished the season with the Pittsburgh Penguins rather unceremoniously, and
then before a game against the Washington Capitals, the Kevin
Constantine calls me in and so I get there. He's like, Sean,
we're trading you to New York. And for some reason,
I thought it was the Islanders. He's like, I'm like okay.
(05:44):
He's like, yeah, so you're going to the Rangers. And
I'm like the Rangers.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
And he I remember looking at me, like, why you
look so happy, and.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
I just thought, like, the Rangers. This is like Gretzky's
on this team. Adam Graves, Kevin Stevens, Brian Leech, John McClain,
Mike Richter, Jeff Buckaboom, all Samuelson, all these guys I
grew up watching, right, I mean obviously my idol and
then all these other guys that I grew up watching.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
I'm like, this is gonna be awesome. This is a.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Rebirth for me. So I get traded, you know, get traded.
It was a block It was actually a blockbuster trade.
It was Alexeikvalev Harry York and fifteen million dollars. So
the way I kind of matched up the trade was
Alexi Kovalev for Peter Nedved Harry York for Chris Tamer
(06:33):
and fifteen million for Sean Pronger is just the way
I kind of broke the trade down internally, and so
it was, yeah, it was a big trade. So we
meet the team in Buffalo and I don't know what
I was expecting, but I get to the rink and
Craig mccalvish's an assistant coach and he's like, hey, prongs welcome
(06:53):
to New York. You're not playing tonight, and I'm like,
here we go again. So anyway, I'm just asked my
first game for the Rangers, which was a sign of
things to come.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
But what was really I was thrilled to go to
New York.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
My childhood best friend from Dryden, Ontario, Chris Hancock, I'd
been living there for a few years and so it
was like, all right, well, we got to keep make
sure you get two small town boys from Canada in
the big city.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Things can get out of hand.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
So we had to draw some boundaries and make sure, Okay,
you got a job, you got a career, you gotta
worry about. I gotta create to worry about. Let's you know,
make sure we pick our spots. So we tried to
keep our distance and I wasn't playing, So maybe get
in the lineup for you know, a couple of shifts
here and there, and then I'd be a healthy scratch
for three games. Get back in for a couple of shifts,
(07:41):
healthy scratch for a few games. And so I talked
to the our strengthen conditioning coach. I said, I want
you to drop a program that's going to keep me
ready to play as soon as I get my opportunity.
I mean, I want to be ready to go and
I'm gonna take it. And then it never came, and
so it was just getting to the point where something's
gotta give, and I was just kind of getting so frustrated.
(08:02):
I think it was a game in Washington actually where
I finally think I got my opportunity to do something.
It was I think we're in the second period, I'm
in the lineup, which is great, and we're killing a
five on three and he left and Muckler, who's a coach,
left me out there and I'm like, Okay, this is
my chance. And I don't know why I thought that
(08:24):
was my chance to go show them what I could
do offensively, because we're killing a penalty five on three.
I don't know what I thought, but whatever, I was
gonna make my mark. And anyway, so I got the
puck and I'm ready. They kind of done the fan
on the puck. Then they gave it to me, and
I'm kind of going at full speed and there's two
guys that to beat and the right place is dumping
(08:45):
in and then you know, change and hey, doing your job.
But I think, you know what I can beat. I
can beat these guys. So what I was gonna do
is like split the d go in score and then
you know, right off in the sunset, not the case.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
So I go to split the d poke check, I
keep going.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
They pass it up ding ding ding three on two,
actually four on two puts in the back of our net.
I'm on the bench, never to come off the bench
stone and now I'm sitting out.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I must for probably the next three or four or
five games.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
And when we come back more with this journeyman hockey
player's story here on our American story. And we're back
(09:40):
with our American stories and the story of Sean Pronger
in his own words, Let's return to the rest of
this great sports story.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
So now I'm skating in practice getting crushed, and I
go in and talk to Muckler. Actually, first of all,
I asked Craig mctabash. I'm like, MAXI, what should I do?
You know, like, I want to play. I want to
know what I need to do to stay in the
line to get a lineup and stay in the lineup.
It's like, products will talk to him. So I'm like,
all right, all right, let we'll talk to him. So
I go in there and John Muckler, I grew up
(10:11):
watching this guy as part of the Oiler dynasty. Pretty
intimidating dude. He is at that massive head of silvery
white hair. He's got his feed up on the thing.
I mean, if he had a scotch, it wouldn't be
at a place to get a scotch and a cigar.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
The way he was sitting there.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I'm like, hey, coach, MUCKs he had a second He's like, yeah,
come on it. Like, hey, coach, I just want to
let you know what. Love love New York, love playing
for the Rangers. I want to play more. What do
I need to do to stay in the lineup or
get in the lineup and stay in the lineup? And
he goes off on a rant for about fifteen minutes
(10:45):
about how good the Edmonton Oilers were in the eighties
at playing a give and go game and how players
today in the you know, mid to late nineties could
not play that style of game and it was very
frustrating to him. So he went off for about fifteen
minutes on that, and I remember walking out and Matt
he was walking by. I was just coming out. He's like,
so how to go. I'm like, honestly, I have no
(11:06):
idea how it went. But he's a big family of
you guys played in the eighties, and so I kind
of went back to my locker and I'm just like,
something's got to give.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
So I called my buddy, Herbie Hancock Herby tonight. Tonight
we're going out. And so all right, we're going out
and we.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Just so we go to whatever local pub, which there
is more, you know, seven on every block, and so
we picked one go there, and you know, we're having
a great time in New York's awesome, having a great time.
Were a couple of different spots we hit, and I
remember walking into a bar it was I think one thirty,
and I was very concerned when when the after hours
(11:46):
bars were, what time they opened or what time?
Speaker 3 (11:48):
You know, when's that going to go down? So I
wasn't ready to call it a night.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
There's one thirty, which is you know, obviously the last
call is getting close, or so I thought. And I
remember walking over to the bartender and I'm like, excuse me, ma'am,
what time's what end of the after.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Hours bars open around here?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
And she goes, you mean after we close at four thirty,
and I'm like, no, no, this would be good. So
of course we stayed there at four thirty shut that
bar down. Luckily it was only about a twenty minute
walk back to my place. And then you know, I
got there at like five and heading up at seven
to drive to practice, And which is not a big
deal because that particular the day before I was actually
(12:24):
practicing as the eighth defenceman, and so I wasn't too
worried about how I felt when I got to practice.
So I get up, obviously not feeling the best, but
I'm like, all right, just deal with it, and so get.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
The practice, get grab my usual breakfast.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Of Champions coffee with a double chocolate chip muffin, and
I'm sitting there with the kind of chocolate smeared all
over my face, just taking it all in in the
locker room, and I'm like looking around, and something's kind
of something a little off. I'm like, it's kind of
like when your your wife girlfriend mother would rearrange the furniture.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
And I'm looking around, I'm like, have we got a
new player? Is what is going on here?
Speaker 2 (13:02):
And so it was just the color schemes out of whack,
and so I'm looking, I'm like you and all the
name bars are the same name tags.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
And I look over and I'm like, in.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
My stall, which is normally the yellow jersey because I'm
either on the fifth line or I'm on the fourth
set of defensemen, it was.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
A red jersey.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
And I'm like, that doesn't make sense because the red
jersey is Gretzky's lines jersey.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
And I'm like, well, obviously this is a mistake.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
So I grabbed the jersey and I go to h
I go to Mike Foglan, who's the equipment guy, and
be like, folks, gave me around color jersey. And I
kind of throw the jersey at him and he's and
he grabs it and he throws it back.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
He goes, no, I didn't, and I'm like, what, Oh,
yeah you did, dude. I'm yellow. I mean we all
know that. I think all the fans know that.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
And he's like, yeah, not today, Bud Kevin Stevens has
the flute. So you're practicing with Gravy and Gretzky and
I'm just like, are you kidding me?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
And he's laughing at me.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Because he could see you the glazed overlooking my eyes.
So now my part is in my throat and I'm like,
this is not good. This Like I grew up idolizing
Wayne gretz Sky and now I have the opportunity to practice.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
With him, and I'm it couldn't be more hungover.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
I'm probably still drunk, and now I'm thinking what have
I done to my Like this is like a career
defining moment, right right when you're about to break through.
Maybe you do something stupid, go get drunk with your buddy,
and now you're playing. Now you're practicing with the greatest
well with the greatest player that's ever played. So this
is all going through my head as I'm trying to
figure out how do I manage this whole situation as
far as like, Okay, I need to get your head
wrapped around this, get your body ready.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
You just got to get through this one practice. So
I go into the shower.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Crank it on, freezing cold, sitting there for like ten minutes,
and figure out like, should I tell got to get
m hungover?
Speaker 3 (14:40):
First of all, does even know who I am? Second
of all? Do I tell him hungover?
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Or do I just play it off like okay, I'm
just that's how I always am. So I'm thinking, you
know what, he's a dude. He's then understand, just man up,
just tell him what's going on.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
So I walk over. I'm like, hey, Wayne, I'm practicing
with you today. He's like, yeah, I saw that.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
I'm like, yeah, I just want to let you know,
at a buddy in town, things may have gone on
a little bit later than I would.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Have liked, and you know, just a slightly hungover.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
So if you don't mind, could you just keep the
puck away from me and maybe, you know, just sor
it over to Graves and I'll just kind of bang
in rebounds and I'll do all the gruntwork and you know, we'll,
you know, I'll survive this practice. And hopefully not get cut.
And he's like, Prongs, don't worry about it. I've been
there myself, and I'm like, yes, you knows my name,
(15:29):
all right, he's on board. The greatest player in the
game's on board, And all of a sudden things started
to lighten up for me.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I just felt like, Okay, we're gonna get through this. S.
Grets is on board.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
I'm gonna get out there, We're gonna he's gonna stop
the puck around. I'll probably bang in a couple of rebounds,
maybe leave a good taste in the coach's mouth and
be like, you know what, a Pronger kid look pretty
good today. And so now I'm thinking this is gonna
be my chance. So we get out for practice and
I'm I'm skipping around the warm up like I'm a fifteen.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Year All star.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
I'm like, just like the arrogance that I had as
a fifth liner practicing with Gretzky was not just embarrassing,
but I'm just going with it. And so I'm just
enjoying every moment, and I'm just like thinking what if,
Like what if there's that small chance?
Speaker 3 (16:17):
You know.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
I remember reading an article that Gretzky once said that
you've put If you put a bunch of hockey players
out on a pond, they're eventually gonna find the players
that they pair up with naturally, just the way they see,
the way they pass, the way they see each other's blades,
and they'll just find each other, like him and he
already created. And I kept thinking about that article, and
I was like, what if. I mean, I gave it
(16:38):
about a one percent chance, but that could happen.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
But I'm like, what if? What if we're out here?
Because the Rangers at that time, we were kind of struggling,
and so.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
It wouldn't be able to like, it would be completely
plausible that if there was an olence of chemistry, that
they might give us at least a game. And so
I thought, Okay, what if what if Gretzky and I
had this natural, undeniable chemistry and we get to play
the next game, and let's say we win, maybe do
something good when we get the next game and the
next game, and so this is all.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Going to my head.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
It warm up of a fucking practice, and so I'm like,
all right, here we go. And so first we finally
Muckler blows a whistle. All right, we're gonna warm up.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
We're doing a three on twos, like straight down, like
kind of three three quarter rice three on twos.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
I kept forgetting like I'm the first line, so I
alvery get back together and be ready to go.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
So I'm like, all right, let's do this.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
And so I'm expecting Gretzky. Hey, we had a deal.
He's gonna backhand this saucer pass over to Gravy. He'll
either shoot it or shoot it, probably as Adam Graves can.
And so I'm not really even looking anyway the corner
of my eye to see this like fluttering puck come
flying over to me.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Likely should be passing it to me already, and you
know it. It was like a wounded duck and it
hits the back.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
I'm playing on my off wing because I'm left handed
shot playing the right side. He goes off my backhand
and literally over the glass, and then whistle goes.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
He's like, all right, go again, So we do it again.
He does the same thing.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
I don't think this one did not go over out
of play, but whatever, I fumbled.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
It around anyway. That was just the sign of things
to come.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
And every single past Gretzky made was to me, every
one of them, and I barely survived that practice.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
And I skated over to him after. I'm like, Rat's,
I'm so sorry I didn't.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Yeah, I don't know to tell you. He's like, Pronks,
don't worry about it. I've been there myself, and he
gave me a wink, and I'm like that he was
playing me the whole time, and I think that was
actually better than if he wasn't, because it made me
feel like I was part of the team. He like
I was close enough in the group that he could
kill me like that, or he just didn't give it
(18:45):
about me and did it anyway.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
But it was, uh, yeah, that's the Gretzky story.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
And I still I still think we would have had
some great chemistry, but I guess the world will never know.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
And some great storytelling by Sean Pronger. And thanks as
always to Greg hanglerfer getting us this great story. And
sometimes big stories in life, well they're just brushes with
greatness and how greatness handles things. I mean that Gretzky
handled Pronger this way, teased him, meant, hey, you're one
of the guys. It happens. Come on, let's get through
(19:18):
this great storytelling. And Sean Pronger's stories are chronicled in
his memoir Journeyman. The many triumphs and even more numerous
defeats of a guy who's seen just about everything in
the game of hockey. By the way, Pronger now lives
with his wife and two children in Orange County, California.
(19:39):
By the way, send your stories in like this. We've all,
at some time or another maybe came up or brushed
up against some people like this in our lives. And
very counterintuitive to hear a star treat somebody who comes
in drunk to practice like this in a gentle way,
in a fun way. So send your stories as a
(20:00):
to our American stories dot com. Sean Pronger's story I
was Gretzky's hungover linemate here on our American Stories
This is our American stories, and we tell all kinds
of stories here on the show. This next story is
the story of Sean Pronger, and he was a journeyman
NHL player who got his start on the hockey beat
at a very young age. Close to home. Here's Sean
(00:30):
with his story.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
To talk about the Gretzky chapter, we're gonna have to
go back to where it all began, Dryden, Ontario, Canada.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
I grew up in Dryden, a great town. Love living there.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
But if you don't like hockey and you don't like
ice fishing, you probably aren't going to enjoy your time
in Dryden because it is remote. It's four hours from
the nearest city, four hours a peg from thunder Bay.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
And it's winter there for about eight to nine months,
and we're talking real winter.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
When it's thirty to forty below is the norm, And.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
So there's not a lot to do if you don't
enjoy those two activities. And fortunately for me, my brother
loved playing and all of our buddies love playing, so
we would play on our driveway.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
We would play on the street in front of our house, and.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
We had an outdoor rink a block away and so
we played hockey NonStop, but I think the real games
were down in our basement at one sixty one Saint
Charles Street. Like every town in Canada or every city,
hockey Night in Canada was a big deal, and everything
kind of just stopped, you know. All plans were made
before or after hockey Night in Canada on Saturday nights,
(01:46):
and our house, the Pronger House, was no different. We
would my mum and dad would come down there, my
brother and I would settle in and watch the game,
and every intermission or commercial break was time to play
one on one right in front of my parents with
our floor hockey sticks. And I was always a forward,
Chris was always a defenseman. And I look back down
(02:08):
and just laugh because my parents just watched. Basically, their
two sons just beat the out of each other while
her and my dad would just kind of sit back
and relax and enjoy the entertainment. And so we would,
Like I said, I was always forward. So then I
would dump it into the fake, you know, into the
living room corner, and he would go back to get it,
and I would ram his head into the dry wall
(02:30):
and then we'd brawl, and you know, just repeat that
over and over for I don't know, eight or nine years,
and so every game, every hockey night Canada, we would
do that. And I was always gretz Sky and he
was always bossed, even though Bossy wasn't a defenseman. Christmas
favorite player was Mike Bossy growing up and mine was
Wayne Gretzky. And with Dryden being where it is, we
(02:52):
were four hours in Winnipeg. A couple times a year,
the Pronger family would load up the family truckster and
head up to Winnipeg to watch the Jets play the
Oilers in the the old good old Smithe division's obviously,
I love watching ninety nine play and uh and how
he could see everything and see the game was just
a real thrill.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
But one time we went up there and we the hotel.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I'm not sure if my dad knew this or we
just got lucky, but the hotel that he booked us
in was the same hotel the Oilers were staying in.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
And I'll never forget.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
We're in the lobby and we're we're just kind of
hanging out down there and we kind of look up
and there's Kevin Low and Wayne Gretzky and my brother,
just like like their old buddies.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
As we're walking past, He's like, hey.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
KeV to Kevin Low, if I that hilarious now that
you know. Kevin Low would then go on to uh
sign my brother to a massive contract, and then he
would ask to be traded a year later.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Their history started early.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
So then then, so we're in the hotel and we're
kind of just like trying to figure out a way
to go see more players, and I'm trying to figure
out how to wait to see Gretzki. They're in the
Gresky's in the dining room or the restaurant, and my
brother and I were kind of peering around the corner
like checking him out. He was I think he's having
breakfast with Glenn Say there. So I'm watching him thinking, well,
I don't want to bother him when he's eating.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
I just seems weird. And about that.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Time, a guy came up behind me and he had
a jersey. He said, hey, kid, can you go get
this autograph for my son? And I said, well, this
is kind of weird, but you know, I'm kind.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Of taught, like you know, you won't say no to adults.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
So I walk over interrupt his breakfast and said, mister Gretzky,
would you mind signing this? I could tell he was reluctant,
just because he's in a restaurant, and you know, years
later I'd figure out why he didn't want everybody else
to think they need to come to in an autograph.
But anyway, he signed it. He was a gentleman, he
was great. I gave it to the guy and it
(04:45):
dawned on me years later that that guy probably wasn't
getting it signed for his son. He was probably hawking
it at a memorbi in the shop. But lesson learned.
So anyway, I you know, passion for Eiler hockey and
my the fact that wayn Grisy my idol sort of
at a very young age. And then if you fast
forward years later, I'm now, you know, in my own
(05:07):
career in the NHL. Actually you were where year started.
I was playing for the Penguins at the end. I
got traded on the end of ninety eight. But the
play is set up in the slide where Promer gets
himself in a great position.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
From the Anaheim Ducks or Mighty Ducks. Back then, Sean
prom is a good kid, and I.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Finished the season with the Pittsburgh Penguins rather unceremoniously, and
then before a game against the Washington Capitals, the Kevin
Constantine calls me in and so I get there. He's like, Sean,
we're trading you to New York. And for some reason,
I thought it was the Islanders. He's like, I'm like okay.
(05:44):
He's like, yeah, so you're going to the Rangers. And
I'm like the Rangers.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
And he I remember looking at me, like, why you
look so happy, and.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
I just thought, like, the Rangers. This is like Gretzky's
on this team. Adam Graves, Kevin Stevens, Brian Leech, John McClain,
Mike Richter, Jeff Buckaboom, all Samuelson, all these guys I
grew up watching, right, I mean obviously my idol and
then all these other guys that I grew up watching.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
I'm like, this is gonna be awesome. This is a.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Rebirth for me. So I get traded, you know, get traded.
It was a block It was actually a blockbuster trade.
It was Alexeikvalev Harry York and fifteen million dollars. So
the way I kind of matched up the trade was
Alexi Kovalev for Peter Nedved Harry York for Chris Tamer
(06:33):
and fifteen million for Sean Pronger is just the way
I kind of broke the trade down internally, and so
it was, yeah, it was a big trade. So we
meet the team in Buffalo and I don't know what
I was expecting, but I get to the rink and
Craig mccalvish's an assistant coach and he's like, hey, prongs welcome
(06:53):
to New York. You're not playing tonight, and I'm like,
here we go again. So anyway, I'm just asked my
first game for the Rangers, which was a sign of
things to come.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
But what was really I was thrilled to go to
New York.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
My childhood best friend from Dryden, Ontario, Chris Hancock, I'd
been living there for a few years and so it
was like, all right, well, we got to keep make
sure you get two small town boys from Canada in
the big city.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Things can get out of hand.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
So we had to draw some boundaries and make sure, Okay,
you got a job, you got a career, you gotta
worry about. I gotta create to worry about. Let's you know,
make sure we pick our spots. So we tried to
keep our distance and I wasn't playing, So maybe get
in the lineup for you know, a couple of shifts
here and there, and then I'd be a healthy scratch
for three games. Get back in for a couple of shifts,
(07:41):
healthy scratch for a few games. And so I talked
to the our strengthen conditioning coach. I said, I want
you to drop a program that's going to keep me
ready to play as soon as I get my opportunity.
I mean, I want to be ready to go and
I'm gonna take it. And then it never came, and
so it was just getting to the point where something's
gotta give, and I was just kind of getting so frustrated.
(08:02):
I think it was a game in Washington actually where
I finally think I got my opportunity to do something.
It was I think we're in the second period, I'm
in the lineup, which is great, and we're killing a
five on three and he left and Muckler, who's a coach,
left me out there and I'm like, Okay, this is
my chance. And I don't know why I thought that
(08:24):
was my chance to go show them what I could
do offensively, because we're killing a penalty five on three.
I don't know what I thought, but whatever, I was
gonna make my mark. And anyway, so I got the
puck and I'm ready. They kind of done the fan
on the puck. Then they gave it to me, and
I'm kind of going at full speed and there's two
guys that to beat and the right place is dumping
(08:45):
in and then you know, change and hey, doing your job.
But I think, you know what I can beat. I
can beat these guys. So what I was gonna do
is like split the d go in score and then
you know, right off in the sunset, not the case.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
So I go to split the d poke check, I
keep going.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
They pass it up ding ding ding three on two,
actually four on two puts in the back of our net.
I'm on the bench, never to come off the bench
stone and now I'm sitting out.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I must for probably the next three or four or
five games.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
And when we come back more with this journeyman hockey
player's story here on our American story. And we're back
(09:40):
with our American stories and the story of Sean Pronger
in his own words, Let's return to the rest of
this great sports story.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
So now I'm skating in practice getting crushed, and I
go in and talk to Muckler. Actually, first of all,
I asked Craig mctabash. I'm like, MAXI, what should I do?
You know, like, I want to play. I want to
know what I need to do to stay in the
line to get a lineup and stay in the lineup.
It's like, products will talk to him. So I'm like,
all right, all right, let we'll talk to him. So
I go in there and John Muckler, I grew up
(10:11):
watching this guy as part of the Oiler dynasty. Pretty
intimidating dude. He is at that massive head of silvery
white hair. He's got his feed up on the thing.
I mean, if he had a scotch, it wouldn't be
at a place to get a scotch and a cigar.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
The way he was sitting there.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I'm like, hey, coach, MUCKs he had a second He's like, yeah,
come on it. Like, hey, coach, I just want to
let you know what. Love love New York, love playing
for the Rangers. I want to play more. What do
I need to do to stay in the lineup or
get in the lineup and stay in the lineup? And
he goes off on a rant for about fifteen minutes
(10:45):
about how good the Edmonton Oilers were in the eighties
at playing a give and go game and how players
today in the you know, mid to late nineties could
not play that style of game and it was very
frustrating to him. So he went off for about fifteen
minutes on that, and I remember walking out and Matt
he was walking by. I was just coming out. He's like,
so how to go. I'm like, honestly, I have no
(11:06):
idea how it went. But he's a big family of
you guys played in the eighties, and so I kind
of went back to my locker and I'm just like,
something's got to give.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
So I called my buddy, Herbie Hancock Herby tonight. Tonight
we're going out. And so all right, we're going out
and we.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Just so we go to whatever local pub, which there
is more, you know, seven on every block, and so
we picked one go there, and you know, we're having
a great time in New York's awesome, having a great time.
Were a couple of different spots we hit, and I
remember walking into a bar it was I think one thirty,
and I was very concerned when when the after hours
(11:46):
bars were, what time they opened or what time?
Speaker 3 (11:48):
You know, when's that going to go down? So I
wasn't ready to call it a night.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
There's one thirty, which is you know, obviously the last
call is getting close, or so I thought. And I
remember walking over to the bartender and I'm like, excuse me, ma'am,
what time's what end of the after.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Hours bars open around here?
Speaker 2 (12:02):
And she goes, you mean after we close at four thirty,
and I'm like, no, no, this would be good. So
of course we stayed there at four thirty shut that
bar down. Luckily it was only about a twenty minute
walk back to my place. And then you know, I
got there at like five and heading up at seven
to drive to practice, And which is not a big
deal because that particular the day before I was actually
(12:24):
practicing as the eighth defenceman, and so I wasn't too
worried about how I felt when I got to practice.
So I get up, obviously not feeling the best, but
I'm like, all right, just deal with it, and so get.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
The practice, get grab my usual breakfast.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Of Champions coffee with a double chocolate chip muffin, and
I'm sitting there with the kind of chocolate smeared all
over my face, just taking it all in in the
locker room, and I'm like looking around, and something's kind
of something a little off. I'm like, it's kind of
like when your your wife girlfriend mother would rearrange the furniture.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
And I'm looking around, I'm like, have we got a
new player? Is what is going on here?
Speaker 2 (13:02):
And so it was just the color schemes out of whack,
and so I'm looking, I'm like you and all the
name bars are the same name tags.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
And I look over and I'm like, in.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
My stall, which is normally the yellow jersey because I'm
either on the fifth line or I'm on the fourth
set of defensemen, it was.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
A red jersey.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
And I'm like, that doesn't make sense because the red
jersey is Gretzky's lines jersey.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
And I'm like, well, obviously this is a mistake.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
So I grabbed the jersey and I go to h
I go to Mike Foglan, who's the equipment guy, and
be like, folks, gave me around color jersey. And I
kind of throw the jersey at him and he's and
he grabs it and he throws it back.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
He goes, no, I didn't, and I'm like, what, Oh,
yeah you did, dude. I'm yellow. I mean we all
know that. I think all the fans know that.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
And he's like, yeah, not today, Bud Kevin Stevens has
the flute. So you're practicing with Gravy and Gretzky and
I'm just like, are you kidding me?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
And he's laughing at me.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Because he could see you the glazed overlooking my eyes.
So now my part is in my throat and I'm like,
this is not good. This Like I grew up idolizing
Wayne gretz Sky and now I have the opportunity to practice.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
With him, and I'm it couldn't be more hungover.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
I'm probably still drunk, and now I'm thinking what have
I done to my Like this is like a career
defining moment, right right when you're about to break through.
Maybe you do something stupid, go get drunk with your buddy,
and now you're playing. Now you're practicing with the greatest
well with the greatest player that's ever played. So this
is all going through my head as I'm trying to
figure out how do I manage this whole situation as
far as like, Okay, I need to get your head
wrapped around this, get your body ready.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
You just got to get through this one practice. So
I go into the shower.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Crank it on, freezing cold, sitting there for like ten minutes,
and figure out like, should I tell got to get
m hungover?
Speaker 3 (14:40):
First of all, does even know who I am? Second
of all? Do I tell him hungover?
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Or do I just play it off like okay, I'm
just that's how I always am. So I'm thinking, you
know what, he's a dude. He's then understand, just man up,
just tell him what's going on.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
So I walk over. I'm like, hey, Wayne, I'm practicing
with you today. He's like, yeah, I saw that.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
I'm like, yeah, I just want to let you know,
at a buddy in town, things may have gone on
a little bit later than I would.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Have liked, and you know, just a slightly hungover.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
So if you don't mind, could you just keep the
puck away from me and maybe, you know, just sor
it over to Graves and I'll just kind of bang
in rebounds and I'll do all the gruntwork and you know, we'll,
you know, I'll survive this practice. And hopefully not get cut.
And he's like, Prongs, don't worry about it. I've been
there myself, and I'm like, yes, you knows my name,
(15:29):
all right, he's on board. The greatest player in the
game's on board, And all of a sudden things started
to lighten up for me.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
I just felt like, Okay, we're gonna get through this. S.
Grets is on board.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
I'm gonna get out there, We're gonna he's gonna stop
the puck around. I'll probably bang in a couple of rebounds,
maybe leave a good taste in the coach's mouth and
be like, you know what, a Pronger kid look pretty
good today. And so now I'm thinking this is gonna
be my chance. So we get out for practice and
I'm I'm skipping around the warm up like I'm a fifteen.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Year All star.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
I'm like, just like the arrogance that I had as
a fifth liner practicing with Gretzky was not just embarrassing,
but I'm just going with it. And so I'm just
enjoying every moment, and I'm just like thinking what if,
Like what if there's that small chance?
Speaker 3 (16:17):
You know.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
I remember reading an article that Gretzky once said that
you've put If you put a bunch of hockey players
out on a pond, they're eventually gonna find the players
that they pair up with naturally, just the way they see,
the way they pass, the way they see each other's blades,
and they'll just find each other, like him and he
already created. And I kept thinking about that article, and
I was like, what if. I mean, I gave it
(16:38):
about a one percent chance, but that could happen.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
But I'm like, what if? What if we're out here?
Because the Rangers at that time, we were kind of struggling,
and so.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
It wouldn't be able to like, it would be completely
plausible that if there was an olence of chemistry, that
they might give us at least a game. And so
I thought, Okay, what if what if Gretzky and I
had this natural, undeniable chemistry and we get to play
the next game, and let's say we win, maybe do
something good when we get the next game and the
next game, and so this is all.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Going to my head.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
It warm up of a fucking practice, and so I'm like,
all right, here we go. And so first we finally
Muckler blows a whistle. All right, we're gonna warm up.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
We're doing a three on twos, like straight down, like
kind of three three quarter rice three on twos.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
I kept forgetting like I'm the first line, so I
alvery get back together and be ready to go.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
So I'm like, all right, let's do this.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
And so I'm expecting Gretzky. Hey, we had a deal.
He's gonna backhand this saucer pass over to Gravy. He'll
either shoot it or shoot it, probably as Adam Graves can.
And so I'm not really even looking anyway the corner
of my eye to see this like fluttering puck come
flying over to me.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Likely should be passing it to me already, and you
know it. It was like a wounded duck and it
hits the back.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
I'm playing on my off wing because I'm left handed
shot playing the right side. He goes off my backhand
and literally over the glass, and then whistle goes.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
He's like, all right, go again, So we do it again.
He does the same thing.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
I don't think this one did not go over out
of play, but whatever, I fumbled.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
It around anyway. That was just the sign of things
to come.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
And every single past Gretzky made was to me, every
one of them, and I barely survived that practice.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
And I skated over to him after. I'm like, Rat's,
I'm so sorry I didn't.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Yeah, I don't know to tell you. He's like, Pronks,
don't worry about it. I've been there myself, and he
gave me a wink, and I'm like that he was
playing me the whole time, and I think that was
actually better than if he wasn't, because it made me
feel like I was part of the team. He like
I was close enough in the group that he could
kill me like that, or he just didn't give it
(18:45):
about me and did it anyway.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
But it was, uh, yeah, that's the Gretzky story.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
And I still I still think we would have had
some great chemistry, but I guess the world will never know.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
And some great storytelling by Sean Pronger. And thanks as
always to Greg hanglerfer getting us this great story. And
sometimes big stories in life, well they're just brushes with
greatness and how greatness handles things. I mean that Gretzky
handled Pronger this way, teased him, meant, hey, you're one
of the guys. It happens. Come on, let's get through
(19:18):
this great storytelling. And Sean Pronger's stories are chronicled in
his memoir Journeyman. The many triumphs and even more numerous
defeats of a guy who's seen just about everything in
the game of hockey. By the way, Pronger now lives
with his wife and two children in Orange County, California.
(19:39):
By the way, send your stories in like this. We've all,
at some time or another maybe came up or brushed
up against some people like this in our lives. And
very counterintuitive to hear a star treat somebody who comes
in drunk to practice like this in a gentle way,
in a fun way. So send your stories as a
(20:00):
to our American stories dot com. Sean Pronger's story I
was Gretzky's hungover linemate here on our American Stories
Host
Lee Habeeb
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