WC: 2023 IIHF World Championship Division I

[Albatros]

Daniel Sprong ist Dual National (Netherlands/Canada) and as he never played in the Netherlands he cannot represent them.

I don't think he has ever got Canadian citizenship despite applying for it. The likely problem being that he has not spent enough time in the country to be eligible. He likely also still has a P-1 visa in the United States, which means that he's not going to get that passport anytime soon either.

Daniel Sprong misses Kraken season opener after immigration snafu

Daniel Sprong, who is from the Netherlands, moved to Canada for his hockey development as a child but never obtained citizenship there or in the U.S.

www.seattletimes.com

 

[SoundAndFury]

If Sprong has received or receives another citizenship as he has intended then he likely loses his eligibility to represent the Netherlands.

Daniel Sprong ist Dual National (Netherlands/Canada) and as he never played in the Netherlands he cannot represent them.

Can we just agree he is more Dutch than Dale Weise? Obviously playing for the NT was never on his agenda.

Poles, meanwhile, hoping for the Trinec win AGAIN (for the 3rd time) since they could really use Chmelewski on Sunday against GB. Another Trinec loss would make adding him pointless, even if theoretically possible.

 

[jonas2244]

Eliteprospects says he has and normally they're solid with that information, but yeah, it could be wrong.

Daniel Sprong - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Daniel Sprong, 1997-03-17 Amsterdam, NED Netherlands. Most recently in the undefined with Detroit Red Wings. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

In that case I wonder why he never played for the Netherlands. I would do that just for fun if I'm able to do so. Maybe it's a question of insurance or something.

 

[SoundAndFury]

In that case I wonder why he never played for the Netherlands. I would do that just for fun if I'm able to do so. Maybe it's a question of insurance or something.

If he doesn't reside in the Netherlands it can be just a case of simple logistics. Traveling across the globe just to get smacked 14-2 by Ukrainian isn't all that fun, especially when you could be preparing for the NHL season where he didn't even have any job security either. He played on a two-way contract this year, probably things to do for fun can come after the career is in a better place.

 

[jonas2244]

Maybe, yeah. We'll see. Could help to get some publicity for icehockey in the Netherlands if an NHL-player plays for them. And could of course help the team. Like Liam Kirk (who isn't an NHL-player yet but has the calibre to be one) for the British. Or maybe even Nathan Walker for the Aussies again. They are native people who should if possible play for their home country, this would help the game.

I remember that there was quite a uproar when Swiss cross country skier with Dutch heritage Laruien Van der Graaf won her first worldcup.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Maybe, yeah. We'll see. Could help to get some publicity for icehockey in the Netherlands if an NHL-player plays for them. And could of course help the team. Like Liam Kirk (who isn't an NHL-player yet but has the calibre to be one) for the British. Or maybe even Nathan Walker for the Aussies again. They are native people who should if possible play for their home country, this would help the game.

It depends a lot on the federation's PR and what kind of momentum they managed to create. If you manage to bring those guys in for a tournament at home, and pair it with a successful team and some PR effort it can sure send some ripples. For example, Zubrus has played for us in both the championship in Vilnius (2014) and Kaunas (2018) and those two must be some of the best attended if not THE best attended D1B events (final game in 2018 with over 10k in attendance). Conversely, when he played for us for the first time in 2005, in the Netherlands by the way, in front of empty stands in a tiny Eindhoven Ice Sports Center built in 1969, I don't think anyone here or there cared about it at all.

So it's really a team effort, a marginally successful NHL player coming in doesn't change much on its own and seeing how dysfunctional the Dutch hockey federation seems to be, I really don't think they can pull it off. Subsequently, there probably isn't even much effort being made to attract Sprong especially since from what I understand he has little to no ties with local hockey in the Netherlands.

 

[Albatros]

Eliteprospects says he has and normally they're solid with that information, but yeah, it could be wrong.

Daniel Sprong - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Daniel Sprong, 1997-03-17 Amsterdam, NED Netherlands. Most recently in the undefined with Detroit Red Wings. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

In that case I wonder why he never played for the Netherlands. I would do that just for fun if I'm able to do so. Maybe it's a question of insurance or something.

Looking at that data it's easy to see why his citizenship application might have been refused. In 2012/13 he was playing AA hockey in Canada despite being much too good for the league which indicates that at least at that point in time he had no permanent residence as AAA hockey was only open to citizens and permanent residents. Furthermore, he had spent much of the previous season in the US playing AAA hockey there, meaning that at the time of his application in 2014 or 2015 he might have had a hard time proving 1095 days spent in Canada over the previous four or 1460 over the previous six years (policy changed in 2015), especially as days spent as temporary resident (probably at least until 2013) would only count as half at best. With the misfortune of only playing for pro teams in the United States the dream of gaining citizenship then probably slipped away. Furthermore, if he does not continuously keep spending 730 days within five years in Canada, he risks losing his permanent residence status as well which might perhaps be one reason to avoid unnecessary international travel such as that with the Dutch national team.

 

[kaiser matias]

Definitely not at all since even from the very top of my head, without digging any deeper, Daniel Sprong exists.

From what I can tell, Weise's only connection with Dutch hockey is that he played 19 games for Tilburg and didn't even do particularly amazing. He scored 2,53 PPG and is outdone in that regard by true legends like Michael Joly or T.J. Caig who would manage to score over 100 points over the full season. In Joly's case, it was 34 games.

The nickname came from after he returned from the Netherlands, and people who don't usually follow Dutch hockey saw stats that look impressive in the context of the NHL, without seeing where he actually stood in regards to the overall Dutch league. More of a joke nickname than anything.

 

[SoundAndFury]

The nickname came from after he returned from the Netherlands, and people who don't usually follow Dutch hockey saw stats that look impressive in the context of the NHL, without seeing where he actually stood in regards to the overall Dutch league. More of a joke nickname than anything.

I was actually not aware anyone paid attention to it.

 

[jonas2244]

Yeah, LTU showed how to use such stars. I hope others take examples.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Isn’t Dale Weise known as the Dutch Gretzky?

I've heard this on the streets of Eindhoven...

 

[Eye of Ra]

I was actually not aware anyone paid attention to it.

lithanunia - poland today 13:30 on iihf youtube channel. do you think lituhania have any chance?

 

[SoundAndFury]

Poles beat Slovenia, Latvia, Hungary in the friendlies. They played a lot of those as well - 6 preparation games - they are taking this seriously, we have no chance.

1A is really 2 separate tournaments this year. 3 teams playing for promotion, and 3 for relegation.

 

[Eye of Ra]

If Armalis stands on his head, i guess there is a chance. Poles are missing Aron Chmielewski, Damian Kapica, Michael Cichy and Christian Mroczkowski.

Anyways i will always have a fetish for Lithanuia becuse of my dreams 5 years ago that i had around 20 times. I found a whole in a bridge close to where i live, and everytime i went into it i ended up in Lithuania and everyone there was always so friendly. Weird dreams.

 

[SoundAndFury]

If Armalis stands on his head, i guess there is a chance. Poles are missing Aron Chmielewski, Damian Kapica, Michael Cichy and Christian Mroczkowski.

Well, Cichy and Mroczkowski never played any official games for them, the same as other imports not named Murray, so it's not really a loss. And for Kapica and Chmielewski, I think they will be just fine without those against us. If Armalis stands on his head it will be a close game but still our chances are pretty much none.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Well, Cichy and Mroczkowski never played any official games for them,

Hmm thats a bit weird. Both of them have polish roots and played in Poland for a long time. Just looking at stats both of them are top players in the polska league. Radoslaw Sawicki is another one.

Speaking of Murray, quite alarming that there is so few Polish goalies as starters in the polska league.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Hmm thats a bit weird. Both of them have polish roots and played in Poland for a long time. Just looking at stats both of them are top players in the polska league. Radoslaw Sawicki is another one.

Speaking of Murray, quite alarming that there is so few Polish goalies as starters in the polska league.

Yes, the same goes for Alex Szczehura who has been Cichy's linemate for pretty much his entire career. I think during the peak of Cronuck epidemic Poles were pretty close to playing them but it never went further than a few friendly tournaments.

And yes, goalies are an enormous issue for Poland. Just like they are for Ukraine at this point, Korea, Romania.. Having a goalie that is at or above the level you are playing at is a huge bonus, I would know. That's why Molder committing to play for Estonia is also such a big win for them.

 

[jonas2244]

Krakauskas on the roster on LTU after missing the full season in Switzerland.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Krakauskas on the roster on LTU after missing the full season in Switzerland.

He still hasn't played in the pre-tournament friendlies though so until he's penciled into the lineup I'm not entirely sure the plan is to play him. Same with Vavilovas on D, we might just be playing 12+6 and these 2 guys are there to sightsee.

Having said that, if he can play, it would be huge against Korea and Romania, that's just someone who outclasses those defenses.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Meanwhile in 1B, looks like my words about Serbia/Spain/Croatia not having a chance against Dutch are about to be tested big time. While the Dutch top line dominates most shifts, overall a pretty even game so far.

 

[jonas2244]

He still hasn't played in the pre-tournament friendlies though so until he's penciled into the lineup I'm not entirely sure the plan is to play him. Same with Vavilovas on D, we might just be playing 12+6 and these 2 guys are there to sightsee.

Having said that, if he can play, it would be huge against Korea and Romania, that's just someone who outclasses those defenses.

Both are also in the Lineup for the first game.
But yeah, he tore his ACL end of september, thats 7 month and probably too close for a comeback.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Both are also in the Lineup for the first game.

Well they are in the lineup as a 7th defenseman and 13th forward so once again, doesn't answer anything yet.

But yeah, Poles are pretty scary this year they are really taking this seriously. Kolusz and Dronia back on the team for the first time since 2019, Wronka-Pasiut-Fraszko line finally together at the WC level for them. Poles have a reasonable chance to win the promotion here.

 

[jonas2244]

Serbia ties it up. But they'd need a regulation win.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Terrible giveaway by the Netherlands and it's a tie. Very interesting.

Serbia ties it up. But they'd need a regulation win.

Oh right, they might still be going for empty net in the end.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Dutch PP is also quite atrocious considering the supposed difference in skill. Yet they can't get a clean zone entry more often than not.