Series: N/A

Craftsmanship: 9.2 out of 10

- Great attention to detail

- Sculpt and paint application nearly flawless

- Fantastic display piece

- Limited poseability due to articulation

Playability: 6.8 out of 10

- Heavy-duty foot peg gets in

the way

- Fits in with the other NHL figures

- Articulation not good enough

- Rubbery hands mean Pronger can hold other accessories

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Chris Pronger (NHL Hitz 2003) by McFarlane Toys

chris pronger nhl hitz 2003

Will you be easily able to find Chris Pronger in retail and specialty stores? Not likely. One of the perks of being “media” is the occasional knick-knack that comes our way. This is the case with Chris Pronger, which is essentially a repaint of the

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regular figure from McFarlane, but because of its limited run, collectors will be pulling their hair out trying to snag one.

Pronger is decked out in NHL Hitz duds instead of his St. Louis Blues uniform. Sculpting is great; the folds of his uniform look realistic and his likeness has been nailed. Actually, it’s a little eerie having a mini Chris Pronger on

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your desk… like he’s watching you. Paint and decal application is excellent. I’m not privy to McFarlane’s method of applying the decals, but it must be a good because edges are invisible – they look like a precision robot painted them on. There’s no overspray either, which is particularly amazing when you take a close look at his face. A touch that some might overlook is the sheen of the helmet and the taped parts of his uniform. His uniform has a flat finish, while the helmet and tape are shiny. It just cranks the realism up another notch.

Another small touch is the real tape on the stick. McFarlane action figures have always been about detail and their hockey figures are a prime example of this.

However, this doesn’t always mean a highly articulated and poseable figure. Pronger has 7 points of articulation but because of the sculpting, creating drastically different poses really has to be worked at. Just pick one and leave it at that.

That being said, I have to give credit for the great “rubber” hands, which make it very easy to get him holding the stick or a range of other accessories.

Playability would be higher if he followed the MGS2 articulation model. I understand why he doesn’t follow the model – maybe, “can’t” is a better description – but it would have heightened the play factor. But part of the playability problem is the industrial peg in his left foot. For display, it plugs right into the base and keeps him standing. However, when played with it manages to catch on just about everything. Plus, it means you can’t pretend to have him skating on ice – at least without some frustration. Setting up dioramas with the other NHL figures is a great option. Pronger is fairly solid – you’re more likely to lose the small knob off the end of the stick than snap off a limb – so if you do punish your toys he’ll stay together.

Chris Pronger in his NHL Hitz 2003 uniform will be a tough figure to find – extremely tough – but he doesn’t disappoint in the presentation department. If you’re more interested in playing with your toys, the effort might not be worth it. But collectors…

- Omni
(October 12, 2002)