The All Things Sprong Containment Thread

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CrosbyMalkin

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I think the trade is a separate issue to where my angst come from. I like MP thus far, my issue here is how Dear Daniel was treated and shunned. Some allege Crosby hated him. Some believe Sprong was worse than the black plague. I tend to view it slightly different. I think Sully is the new Bylsma who relates to curtain jerkers much more than skilled young players who might have issues with immaturity and ego.

You never know what the real issues are. Just like Despres who no person could figure out why he was not playing. The difference is he actually looked good when he was in the lineup. Both those deals seem to be working out fine though. Lovejoy played top 4 minutes and helped win a Cup and Pettersson has really stabilized our defense
 
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Ogrezilla

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Rust was brutal for 29 games. At no point during that time, along with Horny being injured for several games they couldn't find room for Sprong? I mean they had better alternatives? Come on, this was an OBVIOUS attempt to DESTROY Sprong. Sully had no intention of giving this sweet sweet kid a chance. Just call it what it was. Sprong was blackballed.
I was with you for a bit, then you went off the rails :laugh:

Sully didn't like Sprong, but I don't buy that he was out to get him.
 

Gurglesons

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Rust was brutal for 29 games. At no point during that time, along with Horny being injured for several games they couldn't find room for Sprong? I mean they had better alternatives? Come on, this was an OBVIOUS attempt to DESTROY Sprong. Sully had no intention of giving this sweet sweet kid a chance. Just call it what it was. Sprong was blackballed.

Brutal?

The Rust analysis on this forum is about as smart as the Letang.
 

Ogrezilla

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lol I did that to be silly. I do believe the coach had it in for him though.
I think he disliked him, and that likely impacted his judgement on him as a player. And then Sprong came in and played some bad hockey, cementing Sully's opinion of him. At that point the decision was made to trade him.

I don't think that's ideal, but I also think it's very different than having it in for him. If Sully believed Sprong would have made us a better team in a different role, I believe he would have put him there. His judgement may have been wrong, but I don't think it was malicious.

Agreed but he was in the lineup and Sprong could of been played to take Hornqvist’s place.
see above. That's the time I would have liked to see Sprong get a better shot. Up until then I had no issue with his use. And I still don't think that was as bad as others seem to.
 

Ryder71

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You never know what the real issues are. Just like Despres who no person could figure out why he was not playing. The difference is he actually looked good when he was in the lineup. Both those deals seem to be working out fine though. Lovejoy played top 4 minutes and helped when a Cup and Pettersson has really stabilized our defense
I get your point and I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you. I just wish Sprong was given a better chance with skilled forwards.
 

CrosbyMalkin

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Rust was brutal for 29 games. At no point during that time, along with Horny being injured for several games they couldn't find room for Sprong? I mean they had better alternatives? Come on, this was an OBVIOUS attempt to DESTROY Sprong. Sully had no intention of giving this sweet sweet kid a chance. Just call it what it was. Sprong was blackballed.

No way would they try and destroy Sprong. That makes zero sense. Whatever the reason though I am just glad they traded him while he still could get fair value unlik Pouliot.
 

Ryder71

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I think he disliked him, and that likely impacted his judgement on him as a player. And then Sprong came in and played some bad hockey, cementing Sully's opinion of him. At that point the decision was made to trade him.

I don't think that's ideal, but I also think it's very different than having it in for him. If Sully believed Sprong would have made us a better team in a different role, I believe he would have put him there. His judgement may have been wrong, but I don't think it was malicious.
I think it was malicious, but I agree with you that he AT LEAST disliked him.
 

Ogrezilla

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I think it was malicious, but I agree with you that he AT LEAST disliked him.
either way, none of that is really relevant in the end imo. Trading Sprong made perfect sense for us considering our RW and D situations. The fact that the coach didn't like him just made it a bit easier to decide who to trade.
 

Gurglesons

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Dear God don't insult me to that degree. As smart as Letang? You're a monster!

I’m just saying look at all the assumptions you are making about Sprong.

Maybe Sullivan would’ve started playing him with Sid the moment Hornqvist and Simon went down. We’ll never know. It’s a knee jerk reaction to say Sully hated him and did everything in his power to stunt his growth as an NHLer due to a 12-18 game period.
 

Ryder71

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No way would they try and destroy Sprong. That makes zero sense. Whatever the reason though I am just glad they traded him while he still could get fair value unlik Pouliot.

It makes perfect sense if you're someone Sully doesn't like and have no real track record from which to draw on.
 

Ryder71

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I’m just saying look at all the assumptions you are making about Sprong.

Maybe Sullivan would’ve started playing him with Sid the moment Hornqvist and Simon went down. We’ll never know. It’s a knee jerk reaction to say Sully hated him and did everything in his power to stunt his growth as an NHLer due to a 12-18 game period.
Not knee jerk, well informed, if he had his way he would have been gone long before that.
 
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Ryder71

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either way, none of that is really relevant in the end imo. Trading Sprong made perfect sense for us considering our RW and D situations. The fact that the coach didn't like him just made it a bit easier to decide who to trade.
But personal opinions shouldn't supersede professional decisions. And in this case I think that JR knew how this coach wasn't gonna give an inch.
 

CrosbyMalkin

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I get your point and I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you. I just wish Sprong was given a better chance with skilled forwards.

I think we could all agree with that. It didn’t happen and with one of the strongest RW’s 1, 2, 3 in the league combo in front of him it is understandable why he didn’t get that shot. I am just glad they traded him for defensemen that can already come in and help the team and is only 22. Like I said it turned out alright unlike the Pouliot situation in which we held onto the asset too long. Don’t know how Sprong turns out but still think he could be a bust.
 

Ryder71

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I think we could all agree with that. It didn’t happen and with one of the strongest RW’s 1, 2, 3 in the league combo in front of him it is understandable why he didn’t get that shot. I am just glad they traded him for defensemen that can already come in and help the team and is only 22. Like I said it turned out alright unlike the Pouliot situation in which we held onto the asset too long. Don’t know how Sprong turns out but still think he could be a bust.
The value JR extracted in this deal relative to the role Sprong was subjected to was very good. I agree.
 

Ogrezilla

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But personal opinions shouldn't supersede professional decisions. And in this case I think that JR knew how this coach wasn't gonna give an inch.
It was a professional opinion that may have been influenced some by personal opinion. But Sully clearly thought Sprong was worse than our other RW's. And honestly, he's right. So he started him on the 4th line because he was our 4th best RW. That makes perfect sense. If you want to argue he's not a 4th liner then great, he should have just benched him outright. But starting him behind our other wings makes perfect sense.

Again, I think it's reasonable to think an NHL player should be able to look acceptable with Cullen and Sheahan. It wasn't the pit of despair some paint it to have been. Kapanen survived a 4th line role for like a year before a better spot opened up.
 

Ryder71

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Ah, so we’ve gotten to the point where “you know more than us” so that is why Sprong never got a chance. Got it.

Figured someone “well informed” would know something about Kris Letang’s value to the franchise over the last ten years..
I never said Letang didn't hold value here or suggest anything along those lines. I did however say his overall game left a lot to be desired. In particular how he manages the puck.
 

Ryder71

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Should a player's trade value be something Sully concerns himself with? I would emphatically say no.
No, but the reasons he was subjected to those roles should matter. You believe it was because we had 3RW's ahead of him. But if that were the case then why when Horny was injured and Rust struggled why wasn't he given a shot then?
 

Gurglesons

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No, but the reasons he was subjected to those roles should matter. You believe it was because we had 3RW's ahead of him. But if that were the case then why when Horny was injured and Rust struggled why wasn't he given a shot then?

Because Rust is a better player and our coach doesn’t have knee jerk reactions to a role player struggling after signing the first real contract of his career.
 
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