Ryan Wilson: Penguins not quite sure what to do with Daniel Sprong Penguins not quite sure what to do with Daniel Sprong

Yet another doom and gloom blog. I guess whats being said here is true though.


I dont understand why he hasnt been tried in the top 6 AT ALL so far...if he has been I must of been taking a dump or gone to grab a bevy in the kitchen and missed it. He's had better production than Horny or Rust all while being benched half of games or getting minimal 4th line minutes ffs.

Actually, it sounds like they know exactly what to do with Sprong. Whether or not it's a good idea is a different story.

That was one of my biggest peeves.....well, they gave him a shot in some training camp scrimmages and that's it. Nobody on this team was looking great in preseason. A lot of guys (Rust, Hornqvist) aren't exactly tearing it up in the regular season right now.

Get Sprong some more shifts in the top 9. It shouldn't be that hard.

Hornqvist is just starting a new 5 year deal. Rust is just starting a new 4 year deal. Kessel still has 4 years on his deal. So, when exactly is the situation going to change where RW isn't a log jam?

Right now, Sprong is down to injuries or a trade to get decent ice time.

Sprong seems like nothing more than a floater that needs to be wide open to be able to make a difference, but most of that is also negated by being a defensive liability

Like a low rent version of James Neal

Sprong seems like nothing more than a floater that needs to be wide open to be able to make a difference, but most of that is also negated by being a defensive liability

Like a low rent version of James Neal
- RoloTahmasee

Sounds good to me.

I don't see him floating at all and I think his D has been fine.

What I have noticed is that he's easily pushed off the puck and also doesn't seem to be in great shape. He is gassed by one trip up the ice. For a sniper type player he seems oblivious to the quiet areas and rarely makes himself available for a shot.

Rust gets a pass form coaches because he, like Hags, can be effective without scoring (PK).

Horny has earned a little more leeway with the coach for past performance.

Sounds good to me.
- MattStrat

Exactly. He did score 40 next to Geno.

I don't see him floating at all and I think his D has been fine.

What I have noticed is that he's easily pushed off the puck and also doesn't seem to be in great shape. He is gassed by one trip up the ice. For a sniper type player he seems oblivious to the quiet areas and rarely makes himself available for a shot.

Rust gets a pass form coaches because he, like Hags, can be effective without scoring (PK).

Horny has earned a little more leeway with the coach for past performance.
- Thorny87

I don’t think he can make himself available for a shot because they rarely establish possession/cycles. That line rarely gets clean zone entries therefore forcing him to go dig out pucks with the rest of the forwards in that line as Dump and chase mentality.

I don’t think he can make himself available for a shot because they rarely establish possession/cycles. That line rarely gets clean zone entries therefore forcing him to go dig out pucks with the rest of the forwards in that line as Dump and chase mentality.
- j.boyd919

True, that line doesn't have much going for them in the cycle game. He was on the 2nd PP unit for a while though.

He also seems hesitant to shoot coming down the wing. He always pulls up. He has 3 SOG so far. If he's gonna prove himself he has to be a bit more selfish.

We're only 6 games in. Two top 6 players could go down tonight and boom....Sprong will find himself with a promotion. It's a long season and they should be patient. I have no doubt he'll eventually get a decent look in a higher profile role.....unless they trade him of course.

Beyond that... He had a pretty awful camp and pre-season. You'd expect him to take advantage of the watered down competition and he didn't. A couple of those games he was given top line minutes and looked so meh.

We're only 6 games in. Two top 6 players could go down tonight and boom....Sprong will find himself in with a promotion. It's a long season and they should be patient. I have no doubt he'll eventually get a decent look in a higher profile role.....unless they trade him of course.

Beyond that... He had a pretty awful camp and pre-season. You'd expect him to take advantage of the watered down competition and he didn't. A couple of those games he was given top line minutes and looked so meh.
- madmike71

I still can't help but think that some of it has to do with what he's been told by the coaches. He doesn't look like the player he was when he first came to camp at 18. They took a offensive minded player and Johnson'd him.

I still can't help but think that some of it has to do with what he's been told by the coaches. He doesn't look like the player he was when he first came to camp at 18. They took a offensive minded player and Johnson'd him.
- Thorny87

Yup, he's been d!icked around for sure...

Giving almost any player linemates of Sheahan and Cullen is pretty much going to fail.

Yup, he's been d!icked around for sure...
- MattStrat

Well played

- Feds91Stammer

Yeah but were they even high danger shots? Not every shot from the slot is a quality scoring chance. 3 of those shots, Sid had his eyes closed. I wouldn’t consider those high danger.

Sprong and a 1st for Nyquist, a 2nd and a prospect.

Yeah but were they even high danger shots? Not every shot from the slot is a quality scoring chance. 3 of those shots, Sid had his eyes closed. I wouldn’t consider those high danger.
- j.boyd919

Wasn’t he sneezing during another one?

Keep him on the fourth line for now. It’s not ideal but the season is long and injuries will happen. He will get a shot in the top 6 at some point.

Really at the end of the day Hornqvist and Rust need to be better. It’s tough muffing when you’re being deployed with Letang and Dumoulin, but they haven’t exactly made the most when deployed with Sid and G and getting that backend support either. I think at some point Hornqvist in particular will merrit a demotion. What happens then will be telling of where Sprong is at in Sullivan’s dog house. If they move Sheahan into the top 9 when Hornqvist gets put in time out, it’s time to trade Sprong.

Wasn’t he sneezing during another one?
- Rinosaur

I think his skates were tied together.

Sprong and a 1st for Nyquist, a 2nd and a prospect.
- Rinosaur

What prospect? Defense? Forward?

Saarijarvi? Holmstrom?

Yeah but were they even high danger shots? Not every shot from the slot is a quality scoring chance. 3 of those shots, Sid had his eyes closed. I wouldn’t consider those high danger.
- j.boyd919

Probably had a bad TJ on a couple of the shots too.

What prospect? Defense? Forward?

Saarijarvi? Holmstrom?
- Feds91Stammer

Educate me on some. I don’t know too many there.