Future Hall of Fame Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger has won two Olympic Gold medals with Team Canada, won the Stanley Cup in 2007, and was once named league MVP. In October of 2011 he suffered a severe concussion and eye injury and hasn't played since. The injuries drove him into "a black hole of depression." His concussion symptoms are so severe any bright lights will bring on a headache. He even has trouble playing with his three little kids. Just tossing a baseball to his son for too long makes him dizzy.

Pronger, 6'6" and 220 pounds, was notorious for delivering devastating "hits" to his opponents, sometimes with a solid body check, sometimes with his stick. One NHL player said of him: "Chris was the best player in the NHL at knowing where you don't have padding." Typical fan signs at opponent's rinks would read: "Pronger Would Spear His Grandmother." A former teammate said, "People were so intimidated by him, they always brought the puck over to my side of the ice." During his career he was suspended eight times.

Pronger takes full responsibility for his choices and he isn't looking for grace. Talking to Sports Illustrated, he said:

I stuck some guys with a good one. I'm guessing a few guys around the league heard about my injuries and started thinking, Aw, sweet karma … I didn't play the game to make friends. I played the game to win. If what happened to me is a by-product of that, I accept it. I'd be a hypocrite to ask for sympathy now.

Possible Preaching Angles: Grace; Law; Legalism—this is a powerful example of the difference between living by God's grace or living by karma. By Pronger's definition of karma, we get paid back what we deserve. This story shows that grace and legalism (karma) are diametrically opposed to each other.