Dumb coach trades young cheap and skilled forward thread | Now with MOAR Sprong

[Shady Machine]

I mean, I think most of us have been pretty adamant Sprong could succeed in a different organization.

Sure but doesn't mean he couldn't have succeeded here. I think he could have, but would have taken a dedication Sully didn't want to commit to and clearly Sprong did his part in that. That's fine and JR moved him for a piece that is useful. Solid deal but not without risks.

 

[EightyOne]

you should go read the ducks forum, personally I couldn't watch the game outside of the first period because the stream died. but from what I gather it sounds like RC was line juggling everyone around. also you should hear some of their comments about how Sprong hustled got a puck, split two defenders and got a great chance and shot off on net and how they didn't think *anyone* on their team would've been able to pull that off. Most of the ducks fans see the flashes of elite play that I keep saying is there.

that said I've always been in the camp that we really do not know how Sprong will ultimately pan out. but I do know that the sort of player he is and the role we were hoping he would fill that Sullivan's treatment/usage of him was the absolute worst way to develop a young scoring winger. I also know that we nee a young elite scoring winger that is cost controlled now and in the future.

I'm also fairly certain that this all came down to attitude. Sprong was not the humble kiss the ring kinda rookie and there was something there where I think Sprong's attitude was not going to mesh well with a grinder become coach especially with no Tochett there to buffer between them. Sprong did himself no favors with his play at times, but I think a lot of that was bad usage, linemates and him second guessing himself constantly because he was getting benched all the time.

Naw im good, man. I don't need to read shit.

Sprong is what he is and he ain't on the Pens and I highly doubt I'll cry about it in five years.

 

[Gurglesons]

Sure but doesn't mean he couldn't have succeeded here. I think he could have, but would have taken a dedication Sully didn't want to commit to and clearly Sprong did his part in that. That's fine and JR moved him for a piece that is useful. Solid deal but not without risks.

If we didn’t have Kessel, Hornqvist, Simon and Rust on the RW when healthy sure.

But, with Simon playing RW it effectively knocked Sprong out of the line-up. Horny is on pace for 40 goals and Kessel is on pace for 100 points. I’m not pulling either of them out of a top nine role or off the 1st PP for Sprong.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

No. He clearly wants the puck and wants to hold onto the puck. That don’t play with Sid and Geno.

Watch his game with Anaheim. He’d never have gotten any of the chances he’s getting there, here. And he shouldn’t. He shouldn’t be playing Kessel or Letang’s spot on the top PP. He shouldn’t be top three in the shoot out. He shouldn’t be looping around like Malkin on our second line.

With Rakell out he’s their third most skilled player. Here at best he was fifth and that is if we played him like Anaheim is playing him. We don’t need Daniel Sprong on our second line. We need a Silfverberg. Anaheim didn’t need a Petterson playing bottom d minutes, they needed a Daniel Sprong.

It isn’t hard to understand unless you want to make it.

Your characterization of Sprong is as narrow as Mackey's and just as misguided.

He claimed that Sprong wouldn't work with Geno because he would take too many shots, of all things. As if a) he hadn't had his most successful season beside Neal and b) that would be a problem anyway.

You claim that Sprong wouldn't work with Geno because he hung onto the puck too much, as if a) we hadn't won a Cup with Kessel on his wing and b) Sprong's best plays here this year weren't passes, including a highlight reel one to Malkin in the whole 2 minutes they played together.

Neither take holds water.

And again, we have Sheahan and Rust as top 9 RWs right now, which is putrid.

 

[Gurglesons]

Your characterization of Sprong is as narrow as Mackey's and just as misguided.

He claimed that Sprong wouldn't work with Geno because he would take too many shots, of all things. As if a) he hadn't had his most successful season beside Neal and b) that would be a problem anyway.

You claim that Sprong wouldn't work with Geno because he hung onto the puck too much, as if a) we hadn't won a Cup with Kessel on his wing and b) Sprong's best plays here this year weren't passes, including a highlight reel one to Malkin in the whole 2 minutes they played together.

Neither take holds water.

And again, we have Sheahan and Rust as top 9 RWs right now, which is putrid.

Kessel doesn’t play the puck like the Sprong I’ve seen the last three games.

Kessel walks in and takes a shot or throws a pass.

I’m sure eventually Sprong could’ve found a role here if given time as I’ve said all year. Fact is, we have three RWs that have been better than him so that leaves the fourth line where he was.

Rust isn’t part of that. And as has been said 1000 times to you, we need a player like Rust in our top nine way more than a player like Sprong.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think the fair thing to say is that we have no clue whether Sprong and Malkin would work together, instead of saying definitively whether they would or not. You can point to Neal as evidence that the two would have worked together well just as you can point to Kessel as evidence that the two wouldn't have worked well together. I don't think play style matters as much as whether Sprong is any good or not, whether Sprong and Malkin would work together depends on whether Sprong is an actual NHLer or not.

So far in his career, he hasn't shown that, but he's also only 21. I don't think there's any evidence that he would have worked with Malkin right now, but a lack of evidence isn't a lack of proof.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Those minutes single handedly pit them in a position to lose yesterday. They got licky NJD scored on themselves.

Sure.

Sure sure.

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

Sure.

Sure sure.

His giveaway led directly to a NJ goal. Not to mention once again getting caved in possession wise.

But "sure sure" away.

 

[K Fleur]

We certainly DON’T need current performance level Bryan Rust in our top 9 more than Sprong. Or in our top 12...or maybe even in the AHL.

That dude has nearly 30 games of hot garbage performances under his belt this year.

 

[Ogrezilla]

We certainly DON’T need current performance level Bryan Rust in our top 9 more than Sprong. Or in our top 12...or maybe even in the AHL.

That dude has nearly 30 games of hot garbage performances under his belt this year.

And two+ years of really good performances before that.

 

[Old Gregg]

I still don't get why we couldn't go something like this for a stretch of 5-10 games. Just to see what we had.

Guentzal Crosby Kessel
Pearson Malkin Sprong
Simon Brassard Hornqvist
Cullen Sheahan Rust

 

[Gurglesons]

I still don't get why we couldn't go something like this for a stretch of 5-10 games. Just to see what we had.

Guentzal Crosby Kessel
Pearson Malkin Sprong
Simon Brassard Hornqvist
Cullen Sheahan Rust

A multitude of reasons that have been covered since game 5.

 

[The Old Master]

His giveaway led directly to a NJ goal. Not to mention once again getting caved in possession wise.

But "sure sure" away.

you'll have that from any young player (and some old ones) you need to let him play through it. imo

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

you'll have that from any young player (and some old ones) you need to let him play through it. imo

Except its not a once in a while issue. He is consistantly making mistakes away from the puck as well. He might improve but as of right now he has the hockey IQ of a turnip.

 

[The Old Master]

Except its not a once in a while issue. He is consistantly making mistakes away from the puck as well. He might improve but as of right now he has the hockey IQ of a turnip.

not any more than half the guys on this team.
edit; not any more than any of the players on this team.

 

[Old Gregg]

A multitude of reasons that have been covered since game 5.

No good reasons have been given

 

[EightyOne]

I still don't get why we couldn't go something like this for a stretch of 5-10 games. Just to see what we had.

Guentzal Crosby Kessel
Pearson Malkin Sprong
Simon Brassard Hornqvist
Cullen Sheahan Rust

Cullen is out injured

Sprong is in Anaheim now

Malkin and Kessel is more likely than Sid Kessel

For some examples.

 

[Gurglesons]

No good reasons have been given

Good reasons:

Kessel was on a 100 pt pace.

Hornqvist was on a 40 goal pace.

Simon had a 40ish point pace and you’re putting him on the 3rd line.

Sprong was atrocious defensively and Malkin was leaky enough this year.

 

[Empoleon8771]

No good reasons have been given

I guess "Sprong was playing ****ing terrible for the Penguins this year" doesn't count as a good reason now. That plus Simon fitting amazingly well on RW with Crosby are 2 great reasons why that lineup is a bad suggestion.

 

[Old Gregg]

Cullen is out injured

Sprong is in Anaheim now

Malkin and Kessel is more likely than Sid Kessel

For some examples.

To start the season...not now

 

[KIRK]

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

I mean no matter what you think of Sprong, Pettersson is actually good enough to make Johnson not completely suck. So thats a good sign.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Kessel doesn’t play the puck like the Sprong I’ve seen the last three games.

Kessel walks in and takes a shot or throws a pass.

I’m sure eventually Sprong could’ve found a role here if given time as I’ve said all year. Fact is, we have three RWs that have been better than him so that leaves the fourth line where he was.

Rust isn’t part of that. And as has been said 1000 times to you, we need a player like Rust in our top nine way more than a player like Sprong.

Except when they're injured or playing elsewhere. Which has happened frequently this year, and should have opened up opportunity comparable to his competition, where we might have been able to determine how useful he could be.

As currently deployed and at his present level of play, no top 9 needs a player like Rust.

 

[NMK11]

Except when they're injured or playing elsewhere. Which has happened frequently this year, and should have opened up opportunity comparable to his competition, where we might have been able to determine how useful he could be.

As currently deployed and at his present level of play, no top 9 needs a player like Rust.

So who of Horny, Kessel, or Simon should play LW? The answer would have to be Simon because you're not moving the other two from their career positions. Or would you move Sprong over?

 

[Pancakes]

I mean no matter what you think of Sprong, Pettersson is actually good enough to make Johnson not completely suck. So thats a good sign.

He seems to be solid enough so far. Good skater, good stick with a lot of reach.

He's the type of dman who just plays a steady unspectacular game and rarely seems to f*** up. It's sad to say but we badly needed that type of d lol.