Player Discussion Daniel Sprong

[Ridley Simon]

Double posting here and in the GDT because it's too good not to.

That was cool. He was like — oh damn don’t be mad at me!!! Please don’t be mad at me!!!

 

[txpd]

Yeah but. If we need 2.1 whatever of extra cap space, then Panik (and Jensen for TVR) are the ones to go.

Id be v happy to have Sprong and TVR, plus 4m of cap space.

Thats true. The Caps could trade off any number of more expensive players to make lineup room for cheaper players and that would create some cap space. If you traded Carlson, you would get like $7m in cap space and TVR would be there to take his spot.

Meanwhile Sheary has gone cold for 5 straight. If at the end of Willy's vacation Sprong is producing and Sheary not, then taking Sheary out is likely to happen.

 

[txpd]

Double posting here and in the GDT because it's too good not to.

The post game presser was priceless. It was Sprong and Oshie. Sprong got the question what did Ov say after the goal and Sprong very nervously said Ov was pissed and Oshie exploded in laughter next to him.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Thats true. The Caps could trade off any number of more expensive players to make lineup room for cheaper players and that would create some cap space. If you traded Carlson, you would get like $7m in cap space and TVR would be there to take his spot.

Meanwhile Sheary has gone cold for 5 straight. If at the end of Willy's vacation Sprong is producing and Sheary not, then taking Sheary out is likely to happen.

So— you equate trading a bottom production forward and their 6th D-man to create 4m.... as akin to trading their #1 D-man and perennial Norris trophy contender to create 7m? Hyperbole much, good man?

Sheary was always going to be an at best streaky production player. He’s still one of their top bottom 6 forwards.

 

[txpd]

So— you equate trading a bottom production forward and their 6th D-man to create 4m.... as akin to trading their #1 D-man and perennial Norris trophy contender to create 7m? Hyperbole much, good man?

Sheary was always going to be an at best streaky production player. He’s still one of their top bottom 6 forwards.

I am not equating anything. I just agreed with you. More cap space going out than coming in creates cap space on the Caps. I thought you had to be drunk to consider Carlson a Norris candidate? Nevermind thats another subject. If you want to trade Jensen and Panik to get Sprong and TVR in the lineup and get some cappy in the process, great.

 

[AussieCapsFan]

Unlikely that Sprong would replace Panik. What they bring is different. Panik's strenths are Sprong's weaknesses. There is a reason Sprong has been sitting and Panik playing

So after watching Sprong for a couple more games, what do you think would keep Panik in ahead of Sprong when Wilson returns? The only thing I see that Panik has over Sprong is size.
Sprong plays on the right wing which is natural for him. They've got Panik on the right when he really should be left.
At this point I think Sprong should be in the 12 and Panik should be scratched. But interested in your thoughts on this?

 

[John Price]

Solid depth signing so far

 

[Langway]

At this point I think Sprong should be in the 12 and Panik should be scratched. But interested in your thoughts on this?

Agree with this. Panik brings some physicality but if he's not producing it's a bit redundant. It should at least be considered and overall that's the better idea compared to Sheary. It depends on what they're going for re: balance but IMO it's better to go more full-throttle offense. That said, Sprong has only averaged about 10 minutes per game so he'll need to quickly earn more trust in the next number of games. The potential is obvious, though, so we'll see how he manages to run with it.

Given that they may be in the market for another cheap goaltending option the obvious candidate to shed salary in a deal would now be Panik so they should certainly experiment with how much Sprong can take on.

 

[caps4cup]

So after watching Sprong for a couple more games, what do you think would keep Panik in ahead of Sprong when Wilson returns? The only thing I see that Panik has over Sprong is size.
Sprong plays on the right wing which is natural for him. They've got Panik on the right when he really should be left.
At this point I think Sprong should be in the 12 and Panik should be scratched. But interested in your thoughts on this?

Panik’s been really good IMO. Not perfect, because he hasn’t been great offensively, but he’s been outstanding defensively and play driving wise. He just so happens to have a low individual and on ice SH%, and an extremely low on ice sv%. His xG% is over 56% which is awesome and you can’t really ask for more from that 3rd line. That line has been dominant analytically, just extremely unlucky. I think Sprong has played well but I’m not breaking up that 3rd line right now.

 

[txpd]

So after watching Sprong for a couple more games, what do you think would keep Panik in ahead of Sprong when Wilson returns? The only thing I see that Panik has over Sprong is size.
Sprong plays on the right wing which is natural for him. They've got Panik on the right when he really should be left.
At this point I think Sprong should be in the 12 and Panik should be scratched. But interested in your thoughts on this?

Personally, Ive never seen the value in Panik. I just can see what a coach is doing and can say that Panik isnt getting scratched and Sprong has been. I think the the pre game presser for last night's game he is asked specifically about Sprong and why he cant get in the lineup? Laviolette goes straight to player roles. He clearly doesnt see Panik's role and Sprong's role as the same position and therefore one doesnt replace the other. With a healthy lineup Sprong and Sheary as battle for one spot. Panik is not involved

 

[tenken00]

I don't think Panik is playing all that bad and I don't want to break up the chemistry that the guys have right now, but shedding Panik's $2.75M cap hit and replacing it with Sprong's $725K will help a lot with our cap numbers this offseason.

 

[txpd]

I don't think Panik is playing all that bad and I don't want to break up the chemistry that the guys have right now, but shedding Panik's $2.75M cap hit and replacing it with Sprong's $725K will help a lot with our cap numbers this offseason.

We come back to a reality. Panik is playing. Sprong was not. There is a reason for that. You might not agree with that reason or reasons but it would be helpful to know why Laviolette is doing this.

 

[tenken00]

We come back to a reality. Panik is playing. Sprong was not. There is a reason for that. You might not agree with that reason or reasons but it would be helpful to know why Laviolette is doing this.

Well I was more talking about moving forward after this year. We have a looming cap crunch this summer.

 

[kicksavedave]

We come back to a reality. Panik is playing. Sprong was not. There is a reason for that. You might not agree with that reason or reasons but it would be helpful to know why Laviolette is doing this.

Trust in a veteran? How many games would the younger guy need to prove he's responsible to supplant the veteran who is just OK and overpaid? 7 games, aka Willy's vacation?

 

[txpd]

Trust in a veteran? How many games would the younger guy need to prove he's responsible to supplant the veteran who is just OK and overpaid? 7 games, aka Willy's vacation?

MacLellan did a presser today. He was asked about Sprong. As opposed to Siegenthaler where he said that he was a good player and that the way things changed he hasnt gotten to play much, with Sprong he said that the coaches want him to, i am paraphrasing, improve on some areas. I heard Lavy recently after being asked about him use a phrase like he is good at shooting and is ok at other things we need. My read is that the coaching staff is asking him to do specific things that he is not doing or not doing well. I could also guess these are the things that have hurt him with other teams

 

[kicksavedave]

MacLellan did a presser today. He was asked about Sprong. As opposed to Siegenthaler where he said that he was a good player and that the way things changed he hasnt gotten to play much, with Sprong he said that the coaches want him to, i am paraphrasing, improve on some areas. I heard Lavy recently after being asked about him use a phrase like he is good at shooting and is ok at other things we need. My read is that the coaching staff is asking him to do specific things that he is not doing or not doing well. I could also guess these are the things that have hurt him with other teams

Yeah this, but I'm asking how does a player show he's able to learn to do those things when he's a scratch for 4-6 games in a row... he'll get all Wilsons 7 games to show he can do what they want. Hope he uses them.

 

[sprongshowhky]

I can't tell if he's bad or good as a whole, but he's something they don't have. Nobody else in their bottom 6 (unless they're playing Sheary in the bottom 6) is willing to toe drag or make the extra move to make a play. He's the skilled bottom six option, but it's hard to say if he's more effective overall than other players they have to pick from.

What about now?

 

[HTFN]

What about now?

Kind of the same deal, especially if you ask Laviolette or GMBM.

What he's doing in scoring is something they have very little of, but replacing him in a full roster means a seat for Panik (or someone similarly doing the defensive things Sprong is not). I love that he's producing but if it's not enough to get him a no-brainer spot in the lineup there's a reason why.

 

[Raikkonen]

Again, Sprong's defensive capability is not a problem. The problem is that you have to field 3 guys with defensive skills like that (Vrana, Kuzy, Sprong). Thats a bit too much.

 

[txpd]

Kind of the same deal, especially if you ask Laviolette or GMBM.

What he's doing in scoring is something they have very little of, but replacing him in a full roster means a seat for Panik (or someone similarly doing the defensive things Sprong is not). I love that he's producing but if it's not enough to get him a no-brainer spot in the lineup there's a reason why.

Sheary has 1 goal in his last 10. If Wilson were back tonight, Sheary would sit.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

Again, Sprong's defensive capability is not a problem. The problem is that you have to field 3 guys with defensive skills like that (Vrana, Kuzy, Sprong). Thats a bit too much.

They are dominant on the ice. Vrana-Kuzy-Sprong are our first line right now. They litteraly destroy every team in our elite division.

 

[CapsGr8]

Sprong has Ovie's frame and skating mannerisms. I know he's smaller but at times I do a double take.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

Can I assume that Sprong should stay in the lineup even when your forwards are healthy (Eller is back )?

 

[ALLCAPSALLTHETIME]

2 assists for Sprong against New Jersey. He definitely has good offensive instincts.

I'm being won over.

 

[Kuznetsnow]

Developing Sprong could pay big dividends down the road. Especially if he's not hurting the team being in the lineup. Free young cost controlled top 6 forward to be part of the Vrana/McMichael/Lapierre/Fehervary/Alexeyev/Samsonov movement. Conor Garland was about where Sprong was when he was the same age last year.