Flyers trade Chris Pronger's contract to Coyotes

SUNRISE, Fla. -- On Monday, Chris Pronger could be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. On Saturday, his contract rights were traded to the Arizona Coyotes.

What really happened is that the Philadelphia Flyers traded Pronger's $4.9 million salary cap hit, plus defenseman Nicklas Grossman, to the Coyotes for Sam Gagner and a conditional fourth-round draft choice in 2016 or a third-round draft choice in 2017.

Pronger's contract only pays him $525,00 over the next two seasons, but his cap hit was hampering the Flyers' ability to make moves. Gagner's cap hit is $3.2 million, and his contract is for $5 million next season. The Flyers can buy out Gagner's contract to further reduce his cap hit.

Pronger hasn't played since the 2011-12 season because of injury, and he currently works for the NHL's Office of Player Safety.