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

[93LEAFS]

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)...

Kapanen doesn't even get second PP time. He's played less than a minute on the PP this year. Although, anyone expecting him to break 60 points with his usage is being extremely optimistic. Even 50 will be a serious challenge

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.

I was saying this years ago. This was the risk in calling him up and starting his clock at 18. It put them in a developmental quagmire when his ELC expired.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

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.

70% d-zone starts certainly don't support that idea.

The brass have no idea whether or not Sprong in the top 9 gives them the best chance to win every game because they haven't tried it, and no scoring wing can prove anything playing 8 minutes a game on the 4th line.

What they should know because they've had a good sample size of it is that Rust clearly doesn't work on Crosby's line, but they keep throwing him out there regardless.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

70% d-zone starts certainly don't support that idea.

The brass have no idea whether or not Sprong in the top 9 gives them the best chance to win every game because they haven't tried it, and no scoring wing can prove anything playing 8 minutes a game on the 4th line.

What they should know because they've had a good sample size of it is that Rust clearly doesn't work on Crosby's line, but they keep throwing him out there regardless.

I think you’re forgetting that they literally put Sprong at RW1 before camp started. Kid did nothing with a golden opportunity. He had an 8 game stint there last year. He scored in one game. So yes they’ve tried it and its kinda wild for you to suggest otherwise.

And I think he’ll be back there. Give it time- kinda hard to fault Sullivan for much right now imo. He’s got this team taking a lot of points from their first 7 games and they haven’t even played great. That’s his job- not to develop Sprong.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I think you’re forgetting that they literally put Sprong at RW1 before camp started. Kid did nothing with a golden opportunity. He had an 8 game stint there last year. He scored in one game. So yes they’ve tried it and its kinda wild for you to suggest otherwise.

And I think he’ll be back there. Give it time- kinda hard to fault Sullivan for much right now imo. He’s got this team taking a lot of points from their first 7 games and they haven’t even played great. That’s his job- not to develop Sprong.

I'm not forgetting anything. Sprong was on 1RW in camp and was producing. He then played a grand total of one preseason game on the 1st line before being immediately dropped to the 4th and has been kept there virtually ever since.

That's not an opportunity. That's sandbagging.

During Sprong's stint last year, he produced 3 points in 8 games and had great underlying numbers. For those keeping score, that's 2 more points/goals than Rust has this year, and he did it as a rookie with no pre-established chemistry.

Sullivan's job is to both win and develop players. They don't have to be mutually exclusive ideas either.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I'm not forgetting anything. Sprong was on 1RW in camp and was producing. He then played a grand total of one preseason game on the 1st line before being immediately dropped to the 4th and has been kept there virtually ever since.

That's not an opportunity. That's sandbagging.

During Sprong's stint last year, he produced 3 points in 8 games and had great underlying numbers. For those keeping score, that's 2 more points/goals than Rust has this year, and he did it as a rookie with no pre-established chemistry.

Sullivan's job is to both win and develop players. They don't have to be mutually exclusive ideas either.

Rust is a better and more established player than Sprong. He has won 2 Cups and scored big goals and kills penalties, and blah blah blah. Of course he is going to get moved up the lineup before Sprong. Don’t know why you keep harping on that in here. Ridiculous if you think Rust and Hornqvist shouldn’t get 5 tries above Sprong before he even gets one.

This isn’t some linear thing. It’s okay for him to have bad games and have to do some time on the 4th line. It’s not the end of the world and he can still make a career. I am just honestly sick of you beating the drum that they’re ruining him 7 games into the season. Not every prospect is going to work out, no matter how good their highlights looked in the Q. The Pens can exist and be a great team with or without Sprong, don’t know why you’re so hung up over him.

The bit about Sullivan’s job is flat out wrong. He is here to win games first and foremost and that’s it. This is pro hockey, not the AHL or juniors. You could maybe convince me otherwise if there was an obvious tear down going, but there’s not. There’s a reason for the development staff’s hiring and purpose.

 

[Craig Ludwig]

Rust is a better and more established player than Sprong. He has won 2 Cups and scored big goals and kills penalties, and blah blah blah. Of course he is going to get moved up the lineup before Sprong. Don’t know why you keep harping on that in here. Ridiculous if you think Rust and Hornqvist shouldn’t get 5 tries above Sprong before he even gets one.

This isn’t some linear thing. It’s okay for him to have bad games and have to do some time on the 4th line. It’s not the end of the world and he can still make a career. I am just honestly sick of you beating the drum that they’re ruining him 7 games into the season. Not every prospect is going to work out, no matter how good their highlights looked in the Q. The Pens can exist and be a great team with or without Sprong, don’t know why you’re so hung up over him.

The bit about Sullivan’s job is flat out wrong. He is here to win games first and foremost and that’s it. This is pro hockey, not the AHL or juniors. You could maybe convince me otherwise if there was an obvious tear down going, but there’s not. There’s a reason for the development staff’s hiring and purpose.

Hate to tell you but the Penguins, and Sullivan, have a horrible history of not developing their top picks, ruining their confidence and ultimately throwing them away. Forget Crosby/Malkin/Fleury/Staal who were all surefire hits, these are the their top picks since: Esposito (2007), Moon (2008), Despres (2009), Bennett (2010), Morrow (2011), Pouliot (2012), Jarry (2013), Kapanen (2014), SPRONG (2015). The last two years are too early to tell. So they are either making terrible picks, or me thinks they are not developing them properly. Don't tell me Rust should be getting top line minutes every game instead of Sprong, give the kid a carrot, bost his confidence and help him develop. Don;t piss him off so much that his attitude changes, and he is dying to get out of there.

 

[Beauner]

Hate to tell you but the Penguins, and Sullivan, have a horrible history of not developing their top picks, ruining their confidence and ultimately throwing them away. Forget Crosby/Malkin/Fleury/Staal who were all surefire hits, these are the their top picks since: Esposito (2007), Moon (2008), Despres (2009), Bennett (2010), Morrow (2011), Pouliot (2012), Jarry (2013), Kapanen (2014), SPRONG (2015). The last two years are too early to tell. So they are either making terrible picks, or me thinks they are not developing them properly. Don't tell me Rust should be getting top line minutes every game instead of Sprong, give the kid a carrot, bost his confidence and help him develop. Don;t piss him off so much that his attitude changes, and he is dying to get out of there.

Espo, Morrow and Kapanen were traded before the Penguins could do any developing of their own. Bennett was always hurt. Moon just wasn't good. Jarry is being developed properly. Despres, Pouliot and Sprong were the only guys who are/were really jerked around.

On the other hand, in the past few years alone you've seen Rust, Guenztel, Dumo, Murray, Sheary and Kuhnhackl. Their development track record is good, I just don't know what the issue is/was for Pouliot and Sprong

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Espo, Morrow and Kapanen were traded before the Penguins could do any developing of their own. Bennett was always hurt. Moon just wasn't good. Jarry is being developed properly. Despres, Pouliot and Sprong were the only guys who are/were really jerked around.

On the other hand, in the past few years alone you've seen Rust, Guenztel, Dumo, Murray, Sheary and Kuhnhackl. Their development track record is good, I just don't know what the issue is/was for Pouliot and Sprong

Jury’s still out on Sprong. Pouliot was just a bad pick in a very bad draft imo. Pens didn’t mess him up at all.

Pens player development is very good as you outlined. The way they can continue to turn random unheralded guys into NHL players is pretty great.

If I had a issue with the Penguins farm/system/prospects, I’d say the early round drafting has been pretty weak. Can put a positive spin on that and say that at least all of those top picks traded out probably amount to nothing had they kept them!

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Rust is a better and more established player than Sprong. He has won 2 Cups and scored big goals and kills penalties, and blah blah blah. Of course he is going to get moved up the lineup before Sprong. Don’t know why you keep harping on that in here. Ridiculous if you think Rust and Hornqvist shouldn’t get 5 tries above Sprong before he even gets one.

He has been. The point is that he hasn't been getting it done this year and a guy who's getting half his TOI on the 4th line with ham-and-eggers is tripling his production. And Rust doesn't have to be locked into a top 9 RW spot in order to PK for us.

This isn’t some linear thing. It’s okay for him to have bad games and have to do some time on the 4th line. It’s not the end of the world and he can still make a career. I am just honestly sick of you beating the drum that they’re ruining him 7 games into the season. Not every prospect is going to work out, no matter how good their highlights looked in the Q. The Pens can exist and be a great team with or without Sprong, don’t know why you’re so hung up over him.

This isn't about highlights in the Q. This is about being an elite goal-scorer in both junior and the AHL in the last 2 seasons and not getting a chance to use those skills in the NHL.

I want talent to get opportunity, because you need cheap talent to complement your stars if you want to win in a cap league, and we're beginning to run low on that. In case you missed it, the Pens struggled with depth scoring en route to an early playoff exit last year and don't exactly have a ton of high-end scoring wing talent in the pipeline.

Then I see an article like this:

The Penguins are still searching for some secondary scoring

...and wonder "Where the f*** are you looking, buddy"?

The bit about Sullivan’s job is flat out wrong. He is here to win games first and foremost and that’s it. This is pro hockey, not the AHL or juniors. You could maybe convince me otherwise if there was an obvious tear down going, but there’s not. There’s a reason for the development staff’s hiring and purpose.

Ever wonder how the Pens turn around a talent like Schultz who was completely broken-down in Edmonton? By working with him and putting him in positions to succeed that play to his strengths at the NHL level.

That's development.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think you’re forgetting that they literally put Sprong at RW1 before camp started. Kid did nothing with a golden opportunity. He had an 8 game stint there last year. He scored in one game. So yes they’ve tried it and its kinda wild for you to suggest otherwise.

And I think he’ll be back there. Give it time- kinda hard to fault Sullivan for much right now imo. He’s got this team taking a lot of points from their first 7 games and they haven’t even played great. That’s his job- not to develop Sprong.

Yeah but they didn't try it this year, training camp is where you can rest your laurels, but in the regular season so far, no it hasn't been tried.

 

[Memyselfandi]

We should try to play Sprong on the left side whit Malkin and Kessel .. at least he have a chance of being better than Hagelin who is doin nothing since the start of the year...

 

[Burn]

Hate to tell you but the Penguins, and Sullivan, have a horrible history of not developing their top picks, ruining their confidence and ultimately throwing them away. Forget Crosby/Malkin/Fleury/Staal who were all surefire hits, these are the their top picks since: Esposito (2007), Moon (2008), Despres (2009), Bennett (2010), Morrow (2011), Pouliot (2012), Jarry (2013), Kapanen (2014), SPRONG (2015). The last two years are too early to tell. So they are either making terrible picks, or me thinks they are not developing them properly. Don't tell me Rust should be getting top line minutes every game instead of Sprong, give the kid a carrot, bost his confidence and help him develop. Don;t piss him off so much that his attitude changes, and he is dying to get out of there.

They almost ruined MAF too.

And bad player development dates way back to Morozov.

 

[93LEAFS]

Traded to the Ducks. I knew when they burned his first ELC year that they put themselves in a predicament long-term if he wasn't NHL ready at 21.

 

[MMC]

Pumped.

 

[EdwardTK]

1st shot as a Duck, 1st goal. What a shot.

 

[EdwardTK]

 

[Thebesthockey]

Good on him
one thing he needs to stop doing is he was already in offensive zone in 5v5 and drags puck out back to his own blue to re circle back to try to go end to end in a shinny style rush

that shit had to stop

 

[wings5]

Good on him
one thing he needs to stop doing is he was already in offensive zone in 5v5 and drags puck out back to his own blue to re circle back to try to go end to end in a shinny style rush

that **** had to stop

He really tried that amateur hockey stunt?

 

[Memyselfandi]

Sprong goal


now Crosby goal


both perfect shot !!

 

[Kalv]

Sprong goal


now Crosby goal


both perfect shot !!

Lol, they are similar indeed. But damn, the Pens are so damn faster.

But Sprong >> Crosby as I`m a Ducks fan

 

[Thebesthockey]

my my

 

[EdwardTK]

 

[Son of Petter]

He’s looked pretty good getting decent mins so far for a surging ducks team. Shootout goal was filthy and the short side snipe was money.

 

[dougd]

He’s looked pretty good getting decent mins so far for a surging ducks team. Shootout goal was filthy and the short side snipe was money.

Has a lot of B Point qualities AFAICSee, Happy he’s getting a better opportunity at the big league level to show his stuff.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

He did it again !


Thank you Pittsburgh ! This makes up for the Kunitz for Ryan Whitney trade