And-o certainly respects all opinions...and understands that this is still only a rumour! 

However, having said that, would this surprise anyone given the 'culture of entitlement' these guys often see themselves as part of?

Pronger wanting out of Edmonton has become such a big issue. The fact is, if he wants out then it is best to ship him out. There is no use forcing the guy to play and honouring his contract. If Lowe wanted to play hard ball with Pronger, the end result is having thorn in the team's side. A disgruntled employee can wreak havoc in the work place. This will cost the oilers more than just the salary being paid to Pronger but performance on the ice as well. So why not get rid of the team jumpers and get people in return who want to play.  The bottom line is that hockey is a business and Pronger is an employee. Lowe has to make business decisions that will get the best bang for the buck.

PS. I am not a lawyer but isn't it against the law to forcibly keep someone from moving to another place of employment in spite of employment contracts?