Coyotes acquire future Hall of Famer Chris Pronger, Nicklas Grossmann from Flyers

SUNRISE, Fla. – The Arizona Coyotes have acquired their franchise defenseman … if this was 10 years ago.

The Coyotes took on the contract of Chris Pronger, and acquired defenseman Nicklas Grossmann in return for forward Sam Gagner. The Flyers also got a conditional 2016 or '17 pick. Regardless of the particular pieces who will actually play in this deal, the fact that Pronger was traded is hysterical. And he also had to waive his no movement clause for this to happen.

The Coyotes have a ring of honor. Shall we now induct Pronger into it?

As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes, Pronger’s salary cap hit is $4.9 million, but his actual salary is at $575,000.

Though Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston tweets the Flyers retain $500,000 of Grossmann’s salary. He calls it “an all-around cap bender.”

Also, Hall of Fame announcements are Monday and Pronger can enter the HHOF.

Check out where the deal was consummated. Nice photo my Flyers Twitter.

For some reason I have "Smooth Operator" in my head seeing that picture.

Gagner is 25 and has a $4.8 million cap hit. That's a lot, but at least he plays. Grossmann has one year left on a deal that carries a $3.5 million cap hit. But who cares about those guys?

And Pronger ... he’s still signed through the 2016-17 season on that seven-year contract extension signed in 2009 that kicked in on 2010-11. He’s still not ‘technically’ retired, though he’s working for the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.  Pronger suffered an eye injury and a concussion in 2011 and hasn’t played since.

"That was a cap situation for Philadelphia. It’s a fairly big cap charge it’s a low cash cost to us," Coyotes GM Don Maloney said. "We feel we added an important defenseman to our team and continue to try to work on building our roster."

So now we can’t completely bust Philly on salary cap circumvention anymore. Sad. The Flyers had Pronger stashed on Long Term Injured Reserve because they were at the salary cap.

Broad Street Hockey was elated!

Unbelievable. This is the best weekend the Philadelphia Flyers have had since ... 2010 when they were in the Stanley Cup Final? I mean, between an awesome first round of the draft last night, to this shocking, out-of-nowhere deal that the team desperately needed, Hextall just bought himself a lot of new believers to his process.

The Coyotes have no such issues. Arizona is about $13.8 million to the floor per general fanager. 

- - - - - - -

Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper

MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY