One on one with ... Chris Pronger, D, Blues.

TSN: You've come back from wrist and knee injuries and are playing Norris Trophy-caliber hockey. How does this season compare to some of your other good seasons?

CP: I think it's comparable. I feel very comfortable on the ice and reel like I'm skating as well as I have, if not better, than prior to the injuries. As a team, we've hit a bit of a funk, but for the most part I feel pretty good.

TSN: Is it an advantage to have a year off?

CP: I don't know about that. But I think you're able to really appreciate the game that much more and have that passion and drive because it's been taken away from you, and your future was so uncertain that you weren't sure if you were going to be able to play again or not. Being able to return energizes you and really pushes you that much harder to play as well as you can.

TSN: Did you learn anything while watching the games?

CP: A little bit. I think just being able to really watch your team and see how we're effective and when we're not effective, you're able to really see where guys are going to be on the ice and where that open pass might be or where guys like to sit. Defensively, you're able to really look at other teams' forwards and really focus in on what their favorite spots on the ice are, their favorite moves.

TSN: You gave up the "C" this year to Al MacInnis. Did you consider taking it back after Al's eye surgery sidelined him for the season?