Ryan Wilson: Daniel Sprong Is Ready For Prime Time Daniel Sprong Is Ready For Prime Time

You could add he is fearless in his pursuit of the puck to his many assets. Remarkable player with speed, skill and strength.

I say let him stay.

I like what I've seen from Sprong, he comes out of corners with the puck more often than not, that's BIG ! exact opposite of Sutturd !

Sprong played well with whatever AHL scrub we put him with at the begging of the season and has looked like an NHLer when put with other NHL talent including Oskar Sundqvist who isn't even ready yet apparently. Even more encouraging: Sprong was used in the bottom six the entire time and has looked good and produced. No reason to expect he won't continue to do so if we throw him on the third or fourth line.

EDIT: pray the rain stays away.

I want to start by saying that I'm 100% behind Sprong getting the 9 game look and I've been saying since day 1 that I believe he will force his way onto the roster after being given that shot but I'm not crazy about the rational RW used and the Sprong to Adams comparison is just absurd because their roles and expectations are polar opposites. I would definitely prefer taking a chance on the player that has offensive upside/defensive liabilities over the player that is strong defensively but lacks offense but I feel like this article suggest that Sprong's defensive weakness are irrelevant but he has skill and who cares if he ever improves defensively because he has flashy skill. You have to be able to play both ends of the ice to be a great NHL player, Sprong's weaknesses can be covered by playing him with guys like Bonino & Dupuis but improving that aspect of his game needs to be priority #1 and I feel like this article disagrees with that.

If you drink it, it's gone?

Question is will he develop in juniors for a year more than he would playing & training in the NHL?

Answer to that is easy if he is physically capable of surviving (I say that because today is just the start of what is to come with cheap shots on him), a year his first in pro?

Now back to what happened today with the knee & elbow penalties. A lot say that deterrents don't do anything, well today people the threat of a 'lethal' PP did little to deter the cheap shots. Our PP didn't make them pay even after a double minor, so JR smiling about the consequences of illegal play against the Pens was a puff of smoke that's been blown away by the lowly Hurricanes.

Skill lost today.

Get ready to experience more turbulence in the forms of elbows, knees, head shots boarding etc until there are a few players that will be very physical & return a few favours!

Edit: I'm not talking attempted decapitation either if there is any confusion.

I want to start by saying that I'm 100% behind Sprong getting the 9 game look and I've been saying since day 1 that I believe he will force his way onto the roster after being given that shot but I'm not crazy about the rational RW used and the Sprong to Adams comparison is just absurd because their roles and expectations are polar opposites. I would definitely prefer taking a chance on the player that has offensive upside/defensive liabilities over the player that is strong defensively but lacks offense but I feel like this article suggest that Sprong's defensive weakness are irrelevant but he has skill and who cares if he ever improves defensively because he has flashy skill. You have to be able to play both ends of the ice to be a great NHL player, Sprong's weaknesses can be covered by playing him with guys like Bonino & Dupuis but improving that aspect of his game needs to be priority #1 and I feel like this article disagrees with that.
- jaydogg1974

I didn't get that from the article. I think he's saying keeping bums like Adams or Sill because they're supposedly defensively sound over a guy that can put points on the board makes no sense. I agree, you can't have a player that is a virtual train wreck in the D zone.....cough.....cough....Pouliot, but I have seen nothing of the sort from Sprong. Is he perfect, no, but he hasn't been bad at all defensively IMO.

I didn't get that from the article. I think he's saying keeping bums like Adams or Sill because they're supposedly defensively sound over a guy that can put points on the board makes no sense. I agree, you can't have a player that is a virtual train wreck in the D zone.....cough.....cough....Pouliot, but I have seen nothing of the sort from Sprong. Is he perfect, no, but he hasn't been bad at all defensively IMO.
- madmike71

Yes I understood Ryan's comments to be why justify players of Adams ilk with no hope of further development & deny a player like Sprong who has a bigger upside & is capable of certain things as Adams was - just different things but will develop the things he lacks. I think the physical side of his development is the biggest issue - can his body take a season now?

Damn quote not working... Sprong has earned his shot without a doubt. My concern with Ryan wilson's perspective is that a team built on speed and skill is perfect for the regular season, but not ideal for the playoff hockey when things tighten up, the hitting picks up and penalties stop getting called... Who are the "grit guys" in this group right now? Kunitz? (5 years ago for sure) plot? ( he s never played a game) Fehr? Some times you need that "energy guy" in the tight spot...agreed sill, Adams at the end, Farnham are useless... tHat being said In 09 it was max talbot taking a beating or Tyler Kennedy stepping it up... I hope I'm wrong on this one, but it's something we ll have to watch as the season progresses

There is some luck involved, however if the Pens were looking at collective player rankings (e.g. Bob McKenzie's prospect rankings) or the Percentage Chance of Success algorithm (PCS), both had Sprong and Kylington as the two best players available using those standards at the Pens draft pick.

In other news, HCMJ expressed his love for what Bobby "Chaos" Farnham brings to the Pens.

When coupled with his public dismissal of Pouliot, I'm beginning to doubt his ability to lead this team.

http://triblive.com/mobil.../penguins-johnston-sprong

Spring belongs. He'll make the Pens a better team.

Kuni sid kessel
Plot geno horn
Perron Bonino sprong
BB Cullen dupes

Looks good to me. Even tho I think Perron should be 1st line RW over kuni. It is good for kuni trade value to earn some points and show he still has it

just a question about how ELCs work and stuff...

scenario 1) so if Sprong goes back to juniors, he does not burn a year of ELC, right? if he makes the team in 2016, they'd have him for cheap for 2016, 17, and 18, right?

or scenario 2) do those three years begin in 2015 regardless? so if he goes back to juniors this year, they'd only have him for cheap in 2016 and 2017 and then have to extend him before 18?

if scenario 1 is the case, i'd probably be in favor of letting him marinate down in juniors for the 15-16 season. For the first time in forever, the pens have found good value and talent for the bottom lines and have done so in bulk. might as well use a cheap Sprong year in 2018 instead of 2015 just because they might need it then more than they need it now.

if we were debating "keep Sprong to play over Craig Adams, or send him to juniors?" i'd almost definitely advocate keeping him around.

But we're talking about a bottom 6 that'll probably already include Plotnikov/Perron, Bonino, Fehr, Bennett, Cullen, and Duper.

Give him his 9 game tryout and then Fehr will be healthy.

if they trade Perron (or kunitz or whomever), then my outlook might change as well.

Add Fehr to that mix and its a pretty solid lineup. Sprong makes BB and even Kuni expendable. Id start shopping for a solid Dman. Id keep Perron over Kuni at this point. Kuni time is about done.

Any indication of when the cuts will be made? How much more can they do before the coaching staff decides to concentrate on the Stars?

Kuni sid kessel
Plot geno horn
Perron Bonino sprong
BB Cullen dupes

Looks good to me. Even tho I think Perron should be 1st line RW over kuni. It is good for kuni trade value to earn some points and show he still has it
- nh4442

on skill alone, Perron probably deserves to be there more. but i could see them wanting to construct the top 2 lines to have a scrappy guy and a finesse guy with each center. kunitz does the dirty work for sid and kessel. Hornqvist does the dirty work for ... what i'm guessing will ultimately be Perron and Malkin.

ultimately, i'm thinking all of their LWs will move up and down the lineup a lot. they're all very similarly decent.

I would put Sprong in for at least nine games and see what you get before thinking of sending him down. Nothing to lose with that. If he is ready, he sticks, if not ...


I can't remember the reason why he slipped in the draft, but I was thinking it was compete level, not talent. Seems to me he has it.

Add Fehr to that mix and its a pretty solid lineup. Sprong makes BB and even Kuni expendable. Id start shopping for a solid Dman. Id keep Perron over Kuni at this point. Kuni time is about done.
- sammy87

i do think that Kunitz could be the perfect fit for Sid and Kessel, but yeah the overall point that they could use a Fwd - for - dman trade is definitely right.

and it's not something that has to happen now or even in 2015. just as long as it's before the playoffs.

I would put Sprong in for at least nine games and see what you get before thinking of sending him down. Nothing to lose with that. If he is ready, he sticks, if not ...


I can't remember the reason why he slipped in the draft, but I was thinking it was compete level, not talent. Seems to me he has it.
- Oneonta Penguin

Where would you play him?

id consider trading Kunitz under 2 circumstances: if sprong is able to handle a 3rd line role AND if the pens plan on keeping Perron around for a few more years. It'd also help if Bennett can stay healthy and provide some depth.

TK cut from the Devils....If only he just stuck to his skill level. Although someone on this board thought he had top 6 talent.

Where would you play him?
- Aussiepenguin

I'd play him everywhere. Give him some time with Sid or geno depending on the game situation.

I would put Sprong in for at least nine games and see what you get before thinking of sending him down. Nothing to lose with that. If he is ready, he sticks, if not ...


I can't remember the reason why he slipped in the draft, but I was thinking it was compete level, not talent. Seems to me he has it.
- Oneonta Penguin

I want to think it was because he was considered a selfish player. He was a puck hog and didn't play team defense.

just a question about how ELCs work and stuff...

scenario 1) so if Sprong goes back to juniors, he does not burn a year of ELC, right? if he makes the team in 2016, they'd have him for cheap for 2016, 17, and 18, right?

or scenario 2) do those three years begin in 2015 regardless? so if he goes back to juniors this year, they'd only have him for cheap in 2016 and 2017 and then have to extend him before 18?

if scenario 1 is the case, i'd probably be in favor of letting him marinate down in juniors for the 15-16 season. For the first time in forever, the pens have found good value and talent for the bottom lines and have done so in bulk. might as well use a cheap Sprong year in 2018 instead of 2015 just because they might need it then more than they need it now.

if we were debating "keep Sprong to play over Craig Adams, or send him to juniors?" i'd almost definitely advocate keeping him around.

But we're talking about a bottom 6 that'll probably already include Plotnikov/Perron, Bonino, Fehr, Bennett, Cullen, and Duper.

Give him his 9 game tryout and then Fehr will be healthy.

if they trade Perron (or kunitz or whomever), then my outlook might change as well.
- poopmouth

If he plays 9+ NHL games of any kind in one season he loses one ELC year. After a certain number of years (in Sprong's case it would be 2) the ELC years begin to count regardless if the player plays any NHL games or not.

With our improved forward depth I have trouble believingn sprong will be a huge upgrade over our 12th forward. He may deserve to be here but I would rather have him cheap in 2018 instead of paying a 21 year old 6 million a year. That will be a very valuable year for him.

Fwiw saad got 2 games on the NHL his draft year then went down. He was recalled and played on the playoffs his draft year. Then started his elc when he was 19.

Does the 9 game limit count playoffs on sprong? Or can we give him 9 games send him to juniors then recall his as a 11-14 forward for the playoffs without triggering his elc. For playoff depth would be pretty big. Injuries happen. We pretty much have 12 legit NHL forwards now when fehr returns. Add in sundqvist and a few others plus sprong and that gives you guys to plug in if someone gets hurt or is struggling.

I would only keep sprong up this year of we can get 40-50 points out of him.