from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

Al MacInnis saw the young man grow into a superstar in front of his own eyes.

"Chris Pronger was the total package," the Hall of Fame defenseman said. "Was there a weakness in his game? When he was in his prime, I certainly couldn't find one."

But it wasn't always easy for the 6-foot-6 behemoth of a defenseman. From a turbulent start in Hartford, to getting booed in his first year in St. Louis, to a trade demand in Edmonton and a career-ending injury in Philadelphia, what has made Pronger's superstar NHL career all the more impressive is that it came while overcome numerous obstacles, perhaps more than most people realize.

"The best things in life aren't easy," Pronger, 41, said during a recent one-hour interview. "My career kind of sums that up. From the start of it to the end of it, there were a lot of twists and turns, a lot of different adversities. Having overcome those, it makes you stronger."

Undoubtedly, it also provided Pronger the edge in his game and persona that made him one of the league's most feared players while also one of its most talented.

continued