Prospect Info: Daniel Sprong Progress

[Shaffer]

Sprong seems to be perfect for Geno. Hopefully we find someone who can play with Kessel on line 3. And also who said Sid and Sully don't want Hornqvist on line 1?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I love this kid's talent.

The worst part is that no matter what he does, it's going to be "Oh well, he plays with Malkin, I could get 20 goals with Malkin" type of comments when in reality, this kid is a stud all on his own with his talent. I think he's not far off from the kinds of numbers we saw from the Leafs rookies last year or even Guentzel and Sheary's numbers last year.

I would rather see Kessel and Hornqvist handled like this to be honest.


Guentzel, Crosby, Kessel
Hagelin, Malkin, Sprong
Sheary, X, Hornqvist
Wilson, Rowney, Rust

But we can't, someone has to go, it's the weird part of being so deep with wingers, something we wanted so badly, now we are so very attached to the wingers and want to see none of them moved.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Rust is too good to play on the 4th line, I think the more logical solution is to just let one of Hagelin or Hornqvist (probably Hagelin) go. Have Sheary, Rust and Guentzel as your LWers and Hornqvist, Kessel and Sprong as your RWers, with possibly swapping Sheary and Sprong. The lineup I think the Penguins should be planning on running with long term is:

Guentzel-Crosby-Sheary
Sprong-Malkin-Hornqvist
Rust-3C-Kessel

You just can't have Sprong and Kessel or Sheary and Kessel (although this would be less of a problem than Sprong-Kessel would IMO) as wing duos IMO. You have a lot of flexibility there.

 

[Ogrezilla]

no such thing as too good for the 4th line.

 

[Empoleon8771]

no such thing as too good for the 4th line.

I guess "too expensive" would be a more appropriate line, then. I think it would be cost prohibitive to have the kind of depth to have Rust on the 4th line long term.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I guess "too expensive" would be a more appropriate line, then. I think it would be cost prohibitive to have the kind of depth to have Rust on the 4th line long term.

long term, yeah. But right now, it's not too expensive. I'm not saying it's the best way to set the line-up, I'm just saying there's no problem with putting him in that spot so long as the other lines don't need him. As long as Rust, Guentzel, and in that situation, Sprong, are here for cheap, we should take every bit of advantage of it that we can. We lost Cullen as our 3rd liner on the 4th line. If Rust can create that depth (or anybody else, I don't care who) that would be great.

 

[JTG]

Yeah, if Sprong pans out the way he looks like he will, Kessel needs to be put on the 3rd line, which is why I would go real hard after Bozak if he's available.

Guentzel - Crosby
Malkin -Sprong
Bozak - Kessel

Can't beat that.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Kid has all the tools(in terms of speed, possession ability, shot, big bodied) and is extremely determined.
Time for him to get top notch coaching and work on his checking(fore and back)/corners work/defensive game. He'll also learn to defer more to better players vs having/needing to do things by himself like he had to/wanted to do in Jr.

I think he may get the edge on alot of others cuz he's such an enticing option to throw out as the one timer option on the PP. 1 or 2. We're talking an Ovie-level like bomb.

If healthy, you could throw out a PP2 with Jake working the right wall, Sprong the left and Tang or Schultz at the top. Soon...

 

[FDR]

The way i look at Sprong is, he's a first or second line talent. Playing him anywhere else would be a waste. Lines need to be adjusted accordingly. The only certainty i have is Crosby with Guentzel and everyone else will fall in line.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Horny wouldn't be moved unless ZAR comes in and does what Horny does.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

The way i look at Sprong is, he's a first or second line talent. Playing him anywhere else would be a waste. Lines need to be adjusted accordingly. The only certainty i have is Crosby with Guentzel and everyone else will fall in line.

I don't see it as 1st or 2nd line talent, it really depends on who JR gets for the 3C job, remember when the Pens trounced the league with HBK, Kessel was on the 3rd line. If anything if Sprong makes the team and produces as well as Kessel and is also a stud in the playoffs, those rumors of Kessel being moved will be more of a reality next summer. This year I don't move anyone unless there's someone clearly being out played and there's a "fit" issue.

 

[madinsomniac]

Oddly i feel like im going to be more vested in the threepeat attempt than I was with the repeat...
Last season I saw it as gravy... this year we have the chance to solidify a place in the true Dynasty groups... 3peats weren't done by Lemieux or Gretzky... Not since the Isles back when Dynasties were the norm...

This is a super historic event that could happen... which is why i could care less about the first half of the season.
I just want us to be loaded for bear down the stretch.... nothing else matters

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Oddly i feel like im going to be more vested in the threepeat attempt than I was with the repeat...
Last season I saw it as gravy... this year we have the chance to solidify a place in the true Dynasty groups... 3peats weren't done by Lemieux or Gretzky... Not since the Isles back when Dynasties were the norm...

This is a super historic event that could happen... which is why i could care less about the first half of the season.
I just want us to be loaded for bear down the stretch.... nothing else matters

This how I feel also, both this team and the core players get cemented as some of the best in the history of the sport for all time without debate. Its something truly historic they can achieve, I will be even MORE invested in this team this year which I did not think was possible considering I am already a mental obsessive fanatic year round of this team.

 

[Shady Machine]

Oddly i feel like im going to be more vested in the threepeat attempt than I was with the repeat...
Last season I saw it as gravy... this year we have the chance to solidify a place in the true Dynasty groups... 3peats weren't done by Lemieux or Gretzky... Not since the Isles back when Dynasties were the norm...

This is a super historic event that could happen... which is why i could care less about the first half of the season.
I just want us to be loaded for bear down the stretch.... nothing else matters

You can care less about it, but Sid and Geno need to have their minutes limited IMO to give them the best chance to 3peat. That means having more center depth earlier is important to help limit that time.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I have heard rumblings he's been skating with Jay Caufield and is in he best shape of his life.

 

[Riptide]

I believe all lite beer tastes like nothing. Coors lite is the worst.

One of my favorite beers - especially when I'm partying.

 

[Riptide]

The story I heard is that Johnston was insistent that Sprong wasn't ready. JR disagreed so Sprong got stuck in limbo where he didn't play much and burned a year off of his ELC. When Sullivan came in and immediately agreed with Johnston's assessment, only then was Sprong sent down.

Based on 16 minutes of ice time while playing on the 4th line in two games where the team played like crap and were out scored 7-1?

As for those saying it was an issue with the 41 game mark, it wasn't that. When he was sent down, he was at the 31/32 game mark.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't think that's right with Sprong, with respect to Sullivan. I think Sullivan said there wasn't enough ice time to justify keeping Sprong up, not that he wasn't NHL ready. He wanted to bring up the WBS kids he knew, he must have viewed Sprong to be behind those guys.

 

[Riptide]

I don't think that's right with Sprong, with respect to Sullivan. I think Sullivan said there wasn't enough ice time to justify keeping Sprong up, not that he wasn't NHL ready. He wanted to bring up the WBS kids he knew, he must have viewed Sprong to be behind those guys.

That at least would make sense.

 

[CertifiedPublicGuin]

You can care less about it, but Sid and Geno need to have their minutes limited IMO to give them the best chance to 3peat. That means having more center depth earlier is important to help limit that time.

This is the most underestimated point amongst Pens fans. I hate to pull this card, but this is probably a point that only gets emphasized by those that have played the game at a reasonably high level and have been through the rigors of even a 40-50-60 game season (and yet at a significantly lower and less physically commanding level than the NHL).

To me, this is why it was important to replace Bonino with a capable, potentially well-rested #3C that could take some of those minutes and that burden off of the two of them. It's overlooked how we as fans expect the players to be the player to play at the same level every single night no matter what the scenario. You can bet there will be questions if or when Sid or Malkin look like different players during the season, meanwhile the answer to those inexcusable questions is obvious.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I love this kid's talent.

The worst part is that no matter what he does, it's going to be "Oh well, he plays with Malkin, I could get 20 goals with Malkin" type of comments when in reality, this kid is a stud all on his own with his talent. I think he's not far off from the kinds of numbers we saw from the Leafs rookies last year or even Guentzel and Sheary's numbers last year.

I would rather see Kessel and Hornqvist handled like this to be honest.


Guentzel, Crosby, Kessel
Hagelin, Malkin, Sprong
Sheary, X, Hornqvist
Wilson, Rowney, Rust

But we can't, someone has to go, it's the weird part of being so deep with wingers, something we wanted so badly, now we are so very attached to the wingers and want to see none of them moved.

I'd rather not have Kessel on Sid's line. I think that 1st line thrives - whether it's Sheary or Horny on RW - when it has 3 relentless puckhounds who can each force turnovers and convert.

And despite the faith I have in Sprong, we really don't have a top 6 scoring wing surplus until he definitively proves he can play as well with Geno as we think he can.

 

[Andy99]

I'd rather not have Kessel on Sid's line. I think that 1st line thrives - whether it's Sheary or Horny on RW - when it has 3 relentless puckhounds who can each force turnovers and convert.

And despite the faith I have in Sprong, we really don't have a top 6 scoring wing surplus until he definitively proves he can play as well with Geno as we think he can.

Yes, I really hope they play Sprong extensively with Geno in training camp and maybe even play a few games to start the season. If he works out there, and they know that early in the season, i think the options for lines, for who to trade etc are that much clearer. Might make decisions on re-signing Horny or trading Kessel that much clearer

 

[jmelm]

Since I am 100% on the “we got to get Sheary the #%@! out of the line up” bandwagon, and I’m not exactly sure if the prospect or WBS thread is the best place to ask this, I’ll do so here for whoever can answer:

How was his overall 2-way game and specifically his defensive play in the latter part of the regular season and/or playoffs in WBS over the last few months? I concur with others around here who have said his defensice game can’t possibly be worse than Sheary, but I’m trying to gauge where he’s at and how seriously the coaching staff may consider putting him in.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Ever since Daniel Sprong answered one of Sullivan's "Where do you see yourself in the next 3 years" question with a rap lyric, he's been doomed.

His answer.

"Mr. Sprong is in the buildin'
Swagger on a hundred thousand trillion
Ayo, I know I got it first
I'm Christopher Columbus, y'all just the Pilgrims
Thanksgiving, do we even got a question?
Hermès, Pastelle, I pass the dressin'
My attitude is tattooed, that mean it's permanent
So I guess we should address it, huh?
My swagger is Mick Jagger
Every time I breathe on a track, I asthma attack it
"Why you so mad for? Why you gotta have it?"
‘Cause I slaved my whole life, now I'm the master
Naaaaa-na-naaaaa
How it feel to wake up and be the shit and the urine
Naaaaa-na-naaaaa
Tryin' to get that Jagr number, one over Patches"​

Sullivan has hated him ever since.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Since I am 100% on the “we got to get Sheary the #%@! out of the line up” bandwagon, and I’m not exactly sure if the prospect or WBS thread is the best place to ask this, I’ll do so here for whoever can answer:

How was his overall 2-way game and specifically his defensive play in the latter part of the regular season and/or playoffs in WBS over the last few months? I concur with others around here who have said his defensice game can’t possibly be worse than Sheary, but I’m trying to gauge where he’s at and how seriously the coaching staff may consider putting him in.

Meh, not very noteworthy and nor will it be...and for lack of a better sentence, nor should it be. People sometimes misconstrue what it means when they say they want a player to develop a two-way game...this isn't about him becoming Marian Hossa. It's about puck management, it's about understanding different reads and play types when "weird" stuff happens on the rink (like how frequently WBS d-men becomes F1 on the forecheck), finishing plays defensively...so much of defense is about risk mitigation and then understanding the time to close the deal. This isn't about him sliding around the ice blocking shots with his mouth open like Ryan Callahan...that is not defense.

I think his game has matured certainly, I think he has better attention to detail and I think he is a better playmaker now than he was 6 or 12 months ago. I like his progress. I think if he was a LW he might have already found his way into the lineup...but he is a little bit of a tough fit right now and I respect that...but this is a good player and one that I had ranked very high on my personal draft board (13 or 16 or some such) and I think he is tracking the right way...