Calmly, Pronger gets ready for crunch time

For a moment there Thursday afternoon during Media Day at the United Center, a kindler, gentler Chris Pronger appeared as the 35-year-old discussed his ability to age gracefully in the NHL.

"I feel I'm playing better," Pronger said. "As the years have gone by I feel I've learned how to play the game more efficiently, how to play the game better. As you get more mature - wife, kids and the rest - you get more patient. You start to understand things better. You're not as emotional. Maybe you take a step back, take a deep breath and let yourself relax for a second and get your wits about you.

"I feel like I'm in a good place right now."

Wait a minute. This is the same guy whose nickname is Captain Crunch? The same 6-foot-6, 215 pound beast who terrorizes anyone wearing a different color sweater who dares venture near the Flyers' net?

Don't believe it.

The Blackhawks sure don't as they prepare for their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since 1992.

"He's one of the best defensemen ever to play, I would say," Hawks forward Patrick Sharp said. "He's another guy who seems to have a little bit of everything in his game. He can play physical and be dirty out there, which everyone likes as long as you're not playing against him."

"When you're dealing with a guy with the stature of Chris Pronger, he's going to work you over physically, he's going to have a little bit of stick work," Hawks forward Troy Brouwer said. "He's a big strong guy whose going to work you over for some body position, so we're just going to have to work.

"We're going to try to push the pace on him and wear him down as much as we can because we know he's going to play a lot of minutes."

That he will. Pronger is averaging nearly 29 minutes of ice time per game and has been quite productive in that timespan. His next point will break a tie with Vancouver's Dan Boyle for most points by a defenseman (14) in the postseason.

It came as no surprise to Pronger that the first question he faced Thursday was about how he was going to deal with Blackhawks load Dustin Byfuglien, who up to this point has been an immovable object in front of enemy nets.

"That's the fifth time today ... today," Pronger said of the Big Buff query. "I don't know. I guess we'll find out."

Pretty much the same answer Byfuglien offered.

"I don't know," Big Buff said. "I really haven't got to deal with him too much before. After Game 1, I'll let you know."

And it won't be Byfuglien alone who will feel the presence of Pronger, a former Hart and Norris trophy winner.

"I don't think it's just Buff; everybody has to go to the net and cause confusion," defenseman Brian Campbell said. "It's going to be a challenge."

Winning a Cup always is, as Pronger knows all to well after falling just short with Edmonton before winning one with Anaheim.

"It's just knowing in the locker room that you're going to win every game," he said. "Having that sense, that feeling that you can win. It's just playing up to your capabilities."