RW Daniel Sprong (2015, 46th, PIT; traded to ANA)

[Michael Farkas]

Young player isn't being exposed in tough game situations. Development happens mostly in practices with the development staff (which the Pens have a terrific staff, a couple of guys are really ahead of the game compared to some NHL teams)...application of learned/acquired skills is applied in games.

Wasn't really asked to work on two-way play in the AHL, just basic hockey fundamentals. Asked to be a better puck distributor in the NZ to match with the Penguins transition game...

 

[kabidjan18]

To be fair to the coaches, who will inevitably be blamed on these boards, he was pretty bad yesterday against Edmonton. He got sonned badly by Chiasson on his first goal and then got a 1v1 opportunity against Bouchard and got stoned.

 

[edog37]

Sullivan doesn't trust him. Speaking from experience, you can't expect a guy to look good or get anything going when he's spending 5 minutes of game time between shifts. You can't get into a rhythm and every shift it takes you 30 seconds to find your legs. Then guess what, time to change.

He spent a few games playing on Crosby's line last year and looked at the very least like a future top-6 guy for sure. This year he's buried and barely given any time and looks lost. It's not ****ing rocket science and it's amazing to me that people are wondering why he's playing poorly

It's not up to Sullivan to give him a chance. It's up to Sprong to force Sullivan to do so...

 

[Beauner]

It's not up to Sullivan to give him a chance. It's up to Sprong to force Sullivan to do so...

I fundamentally disagree with this line of thinking. You can't force the coach to give you a chance when when every time you hop over the boards you're cold

 

[edog37]

I fundamentally disagree with this line of thinking. You can't force the coach to give you a chance when when every time you hop over the boards you're cold

Then you would be wrong. This is the NHL, not a pee wee level tourney. These guys play for money. Sullivan's obligation is to put the best lineup possible to win games. Not to coddle possible busts. And Sullivan's lack of trust in Sprong isn't because he can't perform during games. That conclusion was reached during training camp & practices & preseason games. That is where rookies & prospects are evaluated. At this point, I could care less about Sprong.

 

[Beauner]

Then you would be wrong. This is the NHL, not a pee wee level tourney. These guys play for money. Sullivan's obligation is to put the best lineup possible to win games. Not to coddle possible busts. And Sullivan's lack of trust in Sprong isn't because he can't perform during games. That conclusion was reached during training camp & practices & preseason games. That is where rookies & prospects are evaluated. At this point, I could care less about Sprong.

I'm not saying Sullivan is under obligation to play him 18 minutes a night. I'm simply pointing out that it's not surprising that a player who was put in a position to fail, is failing.

 

[edog37]

I'm not saying Sullivan is under obligation to play him 18 minutes a night. I'm simply pointing out that it's not surprising that a player who was put in a position to fail, is failing.

And again, it's not on Sullivan to do so. Sprong was given a role & he's not fulfilling it. That's on the player, not the coach. I'll trust Sully's judgment far more than Sprong's so called potential. The NHL is littered with tales of busts washing out of the league. I just don't get the love fest for Sprong. Sure, he has skills, but he's turning out to be a bust...

 

[Beauner]

And again, it's not on Sullivan to do so. Sprong was given a role & he's not fulfilling it. That's on the player, not the coach. I'll trust Sully's judgment far more than Sprong's so called potential. The NHL is littered with tales of busts washing out of the league. I just don't get the love fest for Sprong. Sure, he has skills, but he's turning out to be a bust...

That's like being mad at a 4th liner for not producing when he was put on the 1st line. If you ask a skilled player to play a 4th line role... what do you expect?

The NHL also has guys like Neiderreiter who were written off after doing nothing on the Isles 4th line. Then he gets a legit shot with Minny and hey! He doesn't suck! If you want "skilled" players to actually display their skill you need to put them in a position to do so.

Again, I'm not saying Sprong is a great player being held back nor am I saying he's a bust. I'm saying we don't know if he's any of those things yet becasue he's been put in a terrible situation to prove it one way or the other

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

I cant believe he was only drafted in the 2015 draft.. Honestly feels like hes been around for a long time!

 

[edog37]

That's like being mad at a 4th liner for not producing when he was put on the 1st line. If you ask a skilled player to play a 4th line role... what do you expect?

The NHL also has guys like Neiderreiter who were written off after doing nothing on the Isles 4th line. Then he gets a legit shot with Minny and hey! He doesn't suck! If you want "skilled" players to actually display their skill you need to put them in a position to do so.

Again, I'm not saying Sprong is a great player being held back nor am I saying he's a bust. I'm saying we don't know if he's any of those things yet becasue he's been put in a terrible situation to prove it one way or the other

he was given first line minutes in the pre-season & was meh at best. Sometimes, guys are just busts.....life is hard...

 

[Beauner]

he was given first line minutes in the pre-season & was meh at best. Sometimes, guys are just busts.....life is hard...

he was also given first line minutes last year and had a 2+1 game against the Islanders. Small sample sizes are small

 

[Gurglesons]

Love the reality of this thread. Sprong has skills, as a Pens fan I hope he pans out, but sometimes the best looking prospect burn out the brightest.

 

[Thebesthockey]

this is one of those instances where maybe great skills and great in practices and exceptional in drills, just dont translate to actually playing the game
its not shinny hockey

 

[RipCityPuckers]

Hopefully has a better career trajectory than Teemu Pulkkinen

 

[tooji]

If I am a team with less depth than the penguins I would attempt to buy low on sprong.

 

[Peasy]

Just look at Kapanen now. PPG in the AHL, gets put on the 4th line in the NHL and doesn't produce much. Moved up to the first line and has 9 points in 10 games (over PPG since moving to that line, also only gets 2nd pp)...

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

"Don't translate", it is supposed to be his 2nd year in the AHL... I wouldn't trade him low. His development has a good trajectory, he simply started playing in the NHL too early and he got injured the following year which didn't helped his case. Very good AHL season at 20/21 years old, usually those numbers at that age translate well at the NHL level. Give him time.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

he was given first line minutes in the pre-season & was meh at best. Sometimes, guys are just busts.....life is hard...

He played there for literally one game.

How many games has Rust been "meh" this year while consistently playing in the top 9?

I'm gonna go with "every single one".

If you think you can gauge anything about a scoring wing prospect with the opportunity he's been getting, it says more about you than the player.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

He played there for literally one game.

How many games has Rust been "meh" this year while consistently playing in the top 9?

I'm gonna go with "every single one".

If you think you can gauge anything about a scoring wing prospect with the opportunity he's been getting, it says more about you than the player.

But Rust has been an established pro for a few years now- and for all the “meh”, he is pretty responsible in his own zone. This is a contender. They can’t afford to just throw him in there with Crosby and say no matter what he gets 10-15 games on Sid’s wing. They don’t do that with anyone, Sullivan literally dumped Hornqvist, who scored 29 goals last year down to line 4.

There’s not some big conspiracy against Sprong, the staff and management are pretty clearly trying to shelter him. They’ve admitted as much in the press. I’m sure he’ll get a game or two back in the top 9 if injury strikes, but he’s going to have to take advantage of a small sample.

Remember, the Penguins WANT him to succeed. But not at the cost of fielding the best lineup that gives them the best chance to win every game.

 

[Empoleon8771]

If I am a team with less depth than the penguins I would attempt to buy low on sprong.

He's probably going to be moved for a veteran LWer near the deadline in this year's Dahlen for Burrows trade. I'm expecting him to get traded to like Edmonton for Reider or something like that.

 

[Beauner]

the staff and management are pretty clearly trying to shelter him.

Remember, the Penguins WANT him to succeed.

Well they're doing a pretty terrible job of doing that. Sheltering a guy is giving him lot of o-zone starts and enough minutes to establish him game.

He's routinely pullled off the ice when the other team ices the puck, replaced on his own line by Rust/Hornqvist and generally treated the same way an enforcer/low skill player is treated.

There's a difference between sheltering a guy and striaght up not trusting him

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Well they're doing a pretty terrible job of doing that. Sheltering a guy is giving him lot of o-zone starts and enough minutes to establish him game.

He's routinely pullled off the ice when the other team ices the puck, replaced on his own line by Rust/Hornqvist and generally treated the same way an enforcer/low skill player is treated.

There's a difference between sheltering a guy and striaght up not trusting him

They pretty clearly don’t trust him. I think we’ve seen why. Maybe they haven’t sheltered him in the best way, but again I said they’re trying. Flipping him up with a Brassard for a couple shifts shows this, as well as quotes from Sully and JR. I understand that o/d-zone starts are a good barometer of how a player is used, but still, most shifts come on the fly.

Prospect development is not linear; this isn’t a video game. Sullivan is making real time decisions and it’s very hard to put the guys you don’t trust out there in close games, crazy games. I’ll say it for the millionth time, Pens are trying to win.

I hope he becomes a great player, and still think he can. But he’s given no reason to move up the lineup yet.

 

[Beauner]

They pretty clearly don’t trust him. I think we’ve seen why. Maybe they haven’t sheltered him in the best way, but again I said they’re trying. Flipping him up with a Brassard for a couple shifts shows this, as well as quotes from Sully and JR. Prospect development is not linear; this isn’t a video game. Sullivan is making real time decisions and it’s very hard to put the guys you don’t trust out there in close games, crazy games. I’ll say it for the millionth time, Pens are trying to win.

I hope he becomes a great player, and still think he can. But he’s given no reason to move up the lineup yet.

I don't disagree. I think a better way to handle him is to put him out with sid for 3 or 4 shift a game for an ozone faceoff. His current usage does absolutely nothing for his development and likely hinders it

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I don't disagree. I think a better way to handle him is to put him out with sid for 3 or 4 shift a game for an ozone faceoff. His current usage does absolutely nothing for his development and likely hinders it

Yeah it’s a bad situation. I will fault the Pens for burning his ELC. Horrible decision, I’m sure Sprong likes the NHL paycheck but he’s better off in the A than what they have him doing right now.

 

[edog37]

But Rust has been an established pro for a few years now- and for all the “meh”, he is pretty responsible in his own zone. This is a contender. They can’t afford to just throw him in there with Crosby and say no matter what he gets 10-15 games on Sid’s wing. They don’t do that with anyone, Sullivan literally dumped Hornqvist, who scored 29 goals last year down to line 4.

There’s not some big conspiracy against Sprong, the staff and management are pretty clearly trying to shelter him. They’ve admitted as much in the press. I’m sure he’ll get a game or two back in the top 9 if injury strikes, but he’s going to have to take advantage of a small sample.

Remember, the Penguins WANT him to succeed. But not at the cost of fielding the best lineup that gives them the best chance to win every game.

Couldn't have stated this any better....