Prospect Info: Daniel Sprong Progress

[Coastal Kev]

As someone whose watched sprong ALOT over his junior days. He cant play ANY forward position. He is horrible up the middle. Either wing sure. center not even close

Well I wasn't suggesting he was a candidate for center, but I was semi quoting him so blame him

The point stands and you sound like you agree, the kid can do LW comfortably.

 

[m302291]

The trade was for humor. The only thing about Sprong that worries me is his attitude. If turns out to be a little ****stain no one on the team can stand...he might not be worth that kind of trouble and he'll never be a leader.

What the hell are you talking about? He has never done anything that isn't professional. After sliding down about 20 spots from where he was projected to go in the draft he never said anything about it. After being jerked in and out of the lineup by HCMJ he never complained. After never getting a shot with Malkin, Crosby or Kessel he never said anything that even hinted that he felt like he deserved a shot while the team was bottom five in goals per game.

He came here from the Netherlands by himself as a teenager to play hockey. He handled getting a work visa while trying to make a professional hockey team.

He's mature.

Why suggest that he might be a dick when he has done nothing but be a consummate professional?

 

[DanielPlainview]

He dropped to the second round because of his "personality", IIRC

 

[Shady Machine]

He dropped to the second round because of his "personality", IIRC

I'm not sure if this is true (I recall reading something about his dad being annoying and his cockiness off putting to some, or something like that), but we have no evidence that he has been anything but professional in his first season as a Pen. He took the in and out of the lineup then back to juniors in stride.

 

[Jacob]

He doesn't strike me as a LW, long-term. He's like Kessel in that he handles the puck out in front of him, not to his side. The opposite of Kovalev & Jagr. Maybe he can adapt.

He dropped to the second round because of his "personality", IIRC

I've only heard his dad may be a bit of a handful.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Plus, it seems a lot of teams mistake confidence for cockiness for whatever reason. Gotta be a humble/modest sod farm boy to have character.

 

[DanielPlainview]

The apple doesn't usually fall far from the tree, as the saying goes. His body language and play, to me, indicated more selfishness than most will care for, and I thought this even before hearing/reading about the draft stuff. I'd love it if he turned out to be a great leader and team player, but I'm weary.

 

[Coastal Kev]

If my GM passed on a future talent because of his father or maybe the kid seemed cocky...,,I would fire the GM, I would fire his friends, kick his dog, burn down his house!

 

[Uemoda]

The apple doesn't usually fall far from the tree, as the saying goes. His body language and play, to me, indicated more selfishness than most will care for, and I thought this even before hearing/reading about the draft stuff. I'd love it if he turned out to be a great leader and team player, but I'm weary.

Coming back from LurkerHell to state that this character attack is absurd.

Infuriating, outrageous, and absurd.

Kid worked his ass off to make the team after falling in the draft for reasons we are TOTALLY unaware of. Then we screwed him around worse than I've seen nearly any rookie screwed around in his first year, for months, under two separate coaches. Then, after being sent back, he led his pretty mediocre team in the Q in scoring the rest of the way.

All I know is the kid is a rare talent and has tons of potential. To state definitively that you know about his "selfish attitude" because of some rumour you heard is baseless and unfair.

Lurker out

 

[djt153]

i prefer my goalscorers to have a generosity of spirit that basically shouts id rather be assisting on your goal instead of scoring my own, but such is the world we are cursed to live in.

 

[Lemieux66]

 

[Darth Vitale]

He will allow us to move Kessel back up the lineup so Hags can Sprong a Bonino.

 

[Chazz]

watched Sprong from Pee Wee up to Midget AAA so I may be biased, but I feel he can be dynamite if he keeps working hard and humbles himself a bit. I hope he truly realizes the opportunity he has in front of him with THIS team.....he can fit in very nicely

 

[Fordy]

what do you mean humble himself? wtf? you met the guy?

 

[DanielPlainview]

 

[Jacob]

Plus, it seems a lot of teams mistake confidence for cockiness for whatever reason. Gotta be a humble/modest sod farm boy to have character.

If you're from Kingston or Lethbridge it's confidence & swagger. If you're from Plzen or Ufa it's cockiness and selfishness.

He will allow us to move Kessel back up the lineup so Hags can Sprong a Bonino.

 

[Zero Pucks]

Unless he's making a big impact in our lineup next year. Does it make since to play him in just enough games in the regular season and then send him back to juniors, so he won't have to be exposed for the expansion draft?

I have no idea how many games it would be though.

 

[Brandinho]

The only thing about Sprong that worries me is his attitude. If turns out to be a little ****stain no one on the team can stand...he might not be worth that kind of trouble and he'll never be a leader.

Gare Joyce, is that you?

http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/2006/07/espn-kessels-draft-combine-wasnt.html

100% garbage.

People need to understand that 18 year olds who have sacrificed the vast majority of their adolescence to chase a sporting dream are going to have their quirks. That doesn't automatically mean they have character issues or are poor teammates. Sometimes it does, but usually they just have a bit of growing up to do - like every other 18 year old on the planet. The only difference is that most 18 year olds aren't under the same microscope and a kid working at Subway isn't going to come under scrutiny in the form of anonymously sourced rumors or prats trying to push books.

 

[m302291]

Unless he's making a big impact in our lineup next year. Does it make since to play him in just enough games in the regular season and then send him back to juniors, so he won't have to be exposed for the expansion draft?

I have no idea how many games it would be though.

i think the general consensus on the board is that the only way that he should come up is if he is going to be penned in for 82 games in the top 6.

Anything else then it doesn't make sense to make him a second year pro and not let him play big minutes on any team.

Personally I'm rooting that he gets sent back.

I think that the wingers we have are good enough (despite many people wanting the pens to go out and spend multi millions on more wingers) and there is already a sizable log jam. It looks like we are gonna win the cup with these guys. No reason to not give them 82 games to prove their metal and show who deserves to play on the big show (while simulateously making a fraction of what an established winger we would sign or trade for would make) in a system that they clearly succeed in.

Also the obvious reason that if the top 6 is good enough, then why waste an expansion protection spot when we don't have to?

 

[JTG]

He doesn't strike me as a LW, long-term. He's like Kessel in that he handles the puck out in front of him, not to his side. The opposite of Kovalev & Jagr. Maybe he can adapt.


I've only heard his dad may be a bit of a handful.

I have even said this with Kessel - Phil is at his most dangerous when he comes down the left wing, and he does a real quick cut to the middle of the ice, and he skates to the slot and takes a shot. He'll do it once or twice a game. Granted, it'd probably lose its effectiveness if he were a LW'er trying to do it all the time.

Sprong has a Kessel look about him, for sure. The only problem with Sprong being a LW'er is it mitigates how well he can pass, and also puts him on his backhand if he's trying to turn the corner to the net.

 

[JTG]

He will allow us to move Kessel back up the lineup so Hags can Sprong a Bonino.

I don't know how much Rust has played LW, but a Rust - Bonino - Sprong line could be pretty good.

 

[wgknestrick]

I have even said this with Kessel - Phil is at his most dangerous when he comes down the left wing, and he does a real quick cut to the middle of the ice, and he skates to the slot and takes a shot. He'll do it once or twice a game. Granted, it'd probably lose its effectiveness if he were a LW'er trying to do it all the time.

Sprong has a Kessel look about him, for sure. The only problem with Sprong being a LW'er is it mitigates how well he can pass, and also puts him on his backhand if he's trying to turn the corner to the net.

The most important aspect is the shot IMO. I don't understand why more players don't play on their off wing. You are shooting from a higher % area (towards the center of the ice) and you have a much better 1 timer when you don't have shoot across your body.

 

[OnMyOwn]

I have even said this with Kessel - Phil is at his most dangerous when he comes down the left wing, and he does a real quick cut to the middle of the ice, and he skates to the slot and takes a shot. He'll do it once or twice a game. Granted, it'd probably lose its effectiveness if he were a LW'er trying to do it all the time.

Sprong has a Kessel look about him, for sure. The only problem with Sprong being a LW'er is it mitigates how well he can pass, and also puts him on his backhand if he's trying to turn the corner to the net.

I don't know about the passing part. Most of kessels best passes this season have come from the LW side from what I can recall. It seems easier, at least for him. I also played LW as a right hand shot and preferred it way more than coming down the right side.

Just my opinion.

 

[JTG]

I don't know about the passing part. Most of kessels best passes this season have come from the LW side from what I can recall. It seems easier, at least for him. I also played LW as a right hand shot and preferred it way more than coming down the right side.

Just my opinion.

I also played my off wing. There are very select instances where being on your strong side benefit a player. The pros and cons have to be weighed out with the types of situations a player gets in.

 

[JTG]

The most important aspect is the shot IMO. I don't understand why more players don't play on their off wing. You are shooting from a higher % area (towards the center of the ice) and you have a much better 1 timer when you don't have shoot across your body.

Because it's easier to come blowing down the wing on your forehand than your backhand. Wingers who see the puck on the breakout will want their strong side because a majority of the time, they are taking the puck into the zone and creating something with it. With this team, Sid or Geno are carrying the puck so it is in the wingers best interest to be in a shooting position.