(Video) First NHL Goal: Sprong notches goal in Penguins win

[HF Article]

Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins rookie forward Daniel Sprong reacts after scoring his first NHL goal in a win over the Ottawa Senators (courtesy of Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)


</p> After forcing his way onto the Pittsburgh Penguins roster with a good preseason showing, forward Daniel Sprong added another feather to his cap by scoring his first NHL goal in a 2-0 Penguins win – their first of the 2015-16 season – over the visiting Ottawa Senators.

A little over two minutes after Evgeni Malkin scored the Penguins first goal, Pittsburgh forward Kevin Porter moved the puck up ice along the left boards and dished to linemate Matt Cullen at the Senators’ blueline.… read more

The post (Video) First NHL Goal: Sprong notches goal in Penguins win appeared first on Hockey's Future.



More...

Click to read more...

 

[steveg]

I have to agree with Yohe's tweet after the article.

No way should Sprong go back to Junior hockey. He needs to be learning at the NHL level...(AHL level would be another option, IF it were an option; it's not). I think he's ready to learn playing against men...and if given the right ice time, I don't think it's silly to think there's a chance he's in the Calder talk come the end of the year.

 

[66-30-33]

We will see for Sprong heading back to the juniors or not. If he does he should definatly get another 40 goal season, maybe 50 if he has a few hot streaks.

 

[WayneSid9987]

If the team is relatively healthy at the 9 game mark, i fully expect him to be sent back.
Unless they keep him up with full intentions on making trades to get him top 9 minutes.

If he was a natural LW'er, he'd stay up for sure.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

This organization is not an organization where a promising rookie is allowed to play through growing pains and develop his game at the NHL level, regardless of how ready or deserving he is.

He'll be sent back, even if he shouldn't be. Just because™.

 

[Whakahere]

This organization is not an organization where a promising rookie is allowed to play through growing pains and develop his game at the NHL level, regardless of how ready or deserving he is.

He'll be sent back, even if he shouldn't be. Just becauseâ„¢.

no that isn't true. They do keep young guys up and end up hoping they are going to be stars. Staal and Maatta were kept up and look at their progression. I like how Sprong looks but if he goes back to junior then it isn't the end of the world. I say he either gets top 9 ice time or send him back. JR said he made the mistake with bennett in not sending him down to play .... I doubt he will do that mistake again.

 

[canadianguy77]

no that isn't true. They do keep young guys up and end up hoping they are going to be stars. Staal and Maatta were kept up and look at their progression. I like how Sprong looks but if he goes back to junior then it isn't the end of the world. I say he either gets top 9 ice time or send him back. JR said he made the mistake with bennett in not sending him down to play .... I doubt he will do that mistake again.

What's Sprong going to learn back in the Q even if the geniuses do decide to send him back?

And the only people who made mistakes with Bennett were Shero and Bylsma.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

So give him top-9 time. You can't tell me there are 9 players on this roster who have more potential, are more deserving, or have been better than Sprong's been.

JR did **** up with Bennett, but it wasn't by not sending him down. It was by not making sure Johnston was giving him a locked up spot in the top-9, and allowing him to play through his growing pains as he developed.

The 3rd line RW spot should be Sprong's all season long.

 

[DegenX]

 

[Pens1566]

He should not be sent back to the Q. What he needs to work on won't get addressed against 16/17 yr olds. Should.

 

[chrisp200]

I don't think it's silly to think there's a chance he's in the Calder talk come the end of the year.

unlikely considering the young talent that is in the NHL this year.

 

[mpp9]

Yeah his offensive game doesn't need nurturing in juniors. As long as they think his body will hold up, Id rather he stay to learn defense and the speed of the game here.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Yeah his offensive game doesn't need nurturing in juniors. As long as they think his body will hold up, Id rather he stay to learn defense and the speed of the game here.

I don't think you need to push him simply because this roster isn't winning a Cup anytime soon. Not this year atleast.

We all seen Lindholm almost put him out for the year in Carolina.

Just playing devil's advocate here.

Would he learn more up here? Sure.
Is it the best thing for him, at this age and with where the Pens are at? Not so sure.

 

[steveg]

I don't think you need to push him simply because this roster isn't winning a Cup anytime soon. Not this year atleast.

We all seen Lindholm almost put him out for the year in Carolina.

Just playing devil's advocate here.

Would he learn more up here? Sure.
Is it the best thing for him, at this age and with where the Pens are at? Not so sure.

Part of the reason I like the idea of keeping him up -- aside from the obvious benefits of letting such an intriguing young talent develop here -- is something you alluded to in a prior post in this thread. That is, him having a few months to develop/get used to playing his NHL-level defensive assignments, and thus being ready for more minutes could eventually make someone (cough-cough-Kunitz) part of a trade package for that middle-pairing D-man. No one expected Sprong to be viable, and thus everyone's lineups had Kunitz in them in one capacity or another. I look at Sprong as being a gift (among other things) in that he could make Kunitz TOTALLY expendable, thus allowing us to flesh out the roster later in the year.

 

[mpp9]

I'm just looking at it in terms of what's best for the player. What's he learning in juniors? How will being sent down affect him? He seems like a kid who wouldn't react positively to being sent down "just because" after outplaying most of the roster.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I'm just looking at it in terms of what's best for the player. What's he learning in juniors? How will being sent down affect him? He seems like a kid who wouldn't react positively to being sent down "just because" after outplaying most of the roster.

He'd probably turn being sent down into some kind of motivation, but that's probably not the kind of motivation you want to foster in a young player. I don't think juniors is going to do a lot for him and that's the biggest problem. Defensively? No, and from the horse's mouth the NHL defensive systems are better for him than what he was doing in juniors. Offensively? Maybe a little, but that's looking NHL ready and the challenge could be worth more anyway. Maturity? He seems fine.

My biggest worry is his body holding up over a full-ish NHL season. Pouliot is one shoulder surgery in from before he even played in the NHL, Maatta is two shoulder surgeries in and he came in young, and Bennett is Bennett. You really don't want to be inviting injury problems in the shiny new toy, hope for the future guy. I wouldn't worry about him getting murdered and destroyed like I did with Kapanen, but Sprong could still end up with an avoidable problem.

What would be ideal would be AHL time, but alas, rules.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I hate that he can't go to WBS.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I just don't think he's going to learn what he needs to learn, or develop at the same development curve as if he stays in the NHL. He'll be around superstar players whom he can learn from and get advice from. He'll be around much better trainers and medical staff. He'll be learning in a better environment of competition.

As long as they don't give him ~10min a night on the 4th line, allow him to play through his growing pains, and allow him to play the game that will make him a successful NHLer, there is absolutely no reason to send him back.

All of that being said, I don't think there's a chance in Hell he sticks past 9 games. Either because the organization doesn't think he's capable/ready for top-9 minutes and responsibility, or just because it's the right thing to do™ in their eyes.

 

[Shockmaster]

I'm worried that even if Sprong is kept for the season and plays well, MJ will bury him on the 4th line when Dupuis and Fehr are healthy.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I'm worried that even if Sprong is kept for the season and plays well, MJ will bury him on the 4th line when Dupuis and Fehr are healthy.

Me too, but I think there is a reason Sprong got off the 4th line last night. I think that reason is one of Johnston's bosses.

I'd like a lot more of that kind of thing to happen, to be honest. Kunitz needs to either be a 4th liner or in the press box. Scuderi needs to be in the press box, period.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Did anyone look at his face in the OP pic?

He looks like a Japaneese Anime character.

Now I'm going to have nightmares.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

PogChamp

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I hate that he can't go to WBS.

No kidding. Sending him to the AHL to work on his game is something I can get behind...but the CHL won't help what he needs work on.

 

[Shockmaster]

What I think the forward lines should be when everyone is healthy:

Sprong-Crosby-Kessel
Perron-Malkin-Hornqvist
Plotkinov-Bonino-Bennett
Kunitz-Fehr-Dupuis

What I'm afraid they will be:
Kunitz-Crosby-Kessel
Perron-Malkin-Hornqvist
Dupuis-Bonino-Fehr
Plotnikov-Cullen-Bennett/Sprong

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I really want Sprong to find a way into the top-6, but I don't think there's a spot for him just yet. Unless he is able to transition to LW and not lose anything that's made him so good thus far, it just doesn't make sense.

I am fine with him playing RW on the 3rd line with Bonino and Plotnikov/Perron/Bennett (whichever isn't in the top-6).