The Vancouver Canucks have signed forward Daniel Sprong to a one-year deal worth $975,000. Sprong will be joining his sixth NHL franchise after having stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Washington Capitals, Seattle Kraken, and most recently the Detroit Red Wings. Selected in the second round during the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Sprong has been quite the journeyman but has been a productive player wherever he went.
Sprong put up 18 goals and 43 points in 76 games for the Red Wings this season. The 27-year-old Dutch forward has been known as a sniper who can provide depth scoring wherever he goes. Given the numbers he posted this season, it’s surprising to see him getting signed this late and for so little. A big criticism behind Sprong’s play has been his inability to be consistent on the defensive side of the game.
In the 2022-23 season, Sprong put up career highs for the Kraken. He scored 21 goals and 46 points while playing bottom-six minutes. He was also only making $750,000.
Canucks Get Incredible Value in Sprong Signing
Sprong will be making $975,000 which is incredible value. At that cap hit, scoring 15-20 goals would be amazing production coming from a bottom-six forward. Sprong has an underrated offensive talent and will no doubt help Vancouver’s forward depth. It’s a low-risk, high-reward contract given that it’s only for one year. He was also one of the top free agents left on the market.
He may also get a chance to play higher in the lineup and if that’s the case, we could see Sprong’s numbers increase. Sprong will also reunite with Canucks POHO Jim Rutherford, who was a part of the Penguins team that drafted him.
In 344 career NHL games, Sprong has recorded 85 goals and 159 points.
