Daniel Sprong is a pretty solid prospect but to me he’s pretty much the epitome of the classic boom or bust prospect. h4, .h4, h5, .h5, h6, .h6 { a.glyph-help{ .readMore { However, he might have been the best player in Pittsburgh’s 2015 main training camp and a player with that low a cap hit would surely give Pittsburgh more wriggle room when the Pens break camp this fall. After returning from major shoulder surgery that cost him the first half of his season with the Charlottetown Islanders, the Flying Dutchman torched QMJHL opponents for 32 goals, 59 points and plus-29 in just 31 games. October – In a development that would have been virtually unthinkable before the salary cap era, the 18-year-old Dutch native will open the season on Pittsburgh’s roster. NHL teams these days need inexpensive young players who contribute. February 2015 – Born in the Netherlands, Daniel Sprong has the dynamic game that teams want in a top-line prospect. Unfortunately for Sprong, he has had a very difficult time adhering to the tenets of defensive hockey, and has even gone as far to give up on plays heading the other way. Named to the AHL all-star game, Sprong earned the callup to Pittsburgh by leading the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with 18 goals and 28 points in 29 games.

He’s capable of flashing one-on-one attacking ability with his slick puck skills and then unleashing a deceptively quick shot. Although Sprong finished minus-1, he had three shots on goal, one hit and even a blocked shot. After an uneven pre-season, the setback has spared him from possibly being demoted to the AHL. He will absolutely be an NHL sniper, although he might spend some time in the AHL first. He has a bright future with the Penguins, and should stick the next time he’s called up after some AHL seasoning. After two goals and an assist in a three-game NHL fling, the 21-year-old leads Wilkes-Barre/Scranton skaters with 26 goals (tied for fourth in the AHL) and 53 points (tied for 15th) in 56 outings. } The sniping young winger was injured during the Stanley Cup playoffs during practice as one of Pittsburgh’s Black Aces. margin-bottom: 10px !important; Daniel Sprong Scouting Report – 2015 NHL Draft. After making the team as a teen, becoming a frequent healthy scratch and being returned to junior, then enduring a lengthy hiatus due to shoulder surgery, it’s about time, if that’s fair to say about a 21-year-old. After just two goals with minimal ice time, mostly on the fourth line, the Dutch native will get plenty of playing time with the QMJHL’s Islanders, whom he led in scoring for the past two seasons. Yet that’s the stark reality as Sprong’s fourth-line production is emblematic of Pittsburgh’s lack of secondary scoring. Expect him to return to junior with the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders for another season before making his presence felt at the Penguins’ 2017 training camp. He’s been mentioned frequently as a possible trade chip for GM Jim Rutherford. TSN – #33 Central Scouting – #20 NAS ISS – #26 Craig Button – #38 McKeens – #24 THN – #25. 14. Alex Tran - May 11, 2015. Sprong’s 10th game in a Pittsburgh uniform means his entry-level contract kicks in, confirming the Penguins’ obvious reluctance to send him back to junior. October 2017 – With a goal and two helpers in a 6-1 win over the Syracuse Crunch, the precocious 20-year-old has scored in each of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s four AHL games. Ranked third among Pittsburgh prospects in the 2016 Future Watch, the ultra skilled young winger with the killer shot might get an opportunity with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the AHL playoffs. With one campaign to go on his ELC, the electrifying Sprong is still learning how to integrate his talent into a team structure. September 2015 – The talented youngster got noticed Sept. 22 with a goal and an assist, both on the power play, in Pittsburgh’s second pre-season game, a 7-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Most telling of all, the explosive winger then contributed five goals and two assists in 10 playoff games for the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. As for next season, he might start in the AHL for some seasoning, although he has future NHL scorer written all over him. Sprong may never well get it, but he’s certainly worth the risk. Sprong undoubtedly learned by osmosis, but a young player needs to play, and by not returning him to junior within 10 NHL games, Rutherford has burned a season of his entry contract.