Where does Daniel Sprong fit best in the Canucks' lineup?
If Daniel Sprong was flying under the radar with Vancouver Canucks fans, he wasn’t anymore.
Sprong likely didn’t get the free agent payday he was hoping for this summer when he settled for a one-year contract worth $975,000. He was coming off a 43-point season (18-25-43) with the Detroit Red Wings and had 46 points (21-25-46) in 66 games with the Seattle Kraken in 2022-23.
The knock on the 27-year-old is his defensive play, which still needs improving.
But his skill? Well, that was on display Wednesday night in Abbotsford after he scored the most impressive goal of the preseason.
With 20 seconds left in the third period and the Canucks down a goal, Sprong picked up the puck at his own blue line and dashed through the Flames’ defence before pulling off a deke to the forehand to tie the game.
Oh my, Daniel Sprong 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/VTn52vspKT
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 26, 2024
Teammate Jake DeBrusk was impressed.
“Just a great individual effort. He’s got hands, speed, and that lethal shot everyone talks about, but there he kind of used them all,” said DeBrusk, who had two goals in the game. “It was a cool goal to see; you don’t really see highlight goals sometimes in preseason.”
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet hasn’t solidified his lines yet and it seems unlikely that any of the four trios he rolled out on Wednesday will be seen in the regular season.
Case in point, Sprong played on a line with Aatu Räty and Arshdeep Bains, two forwards likely to start the season in Abbotsford.
It’ll be interesting to see where Sprong slots in for opening night because his stat-line suggests he can be a top-six forward.
Perhaps he’ll be a fit with on the right wing with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk. To do that, he’ll likely have to prove to Tocchet that his two-way game is up to par. Judging by Tocchet’s post-game comments, that’s still a work in progress.
“He’s got that knack to do that sort of stuff. He can skate,” Tocchet said of Sprong’s preseason heroics. “We can work with him to really make him complete, but yeah that was a hell of a goal. We know he can do that.”
If Sprong doesn’t fit with Pettersson and DeBrusk, Tocchet may consider an offensive-minded third line that can capitalize on soft minutes. Pius Suter could be a good fit at centre for that kind of role, and there are a number of left winger options, depending on how the other lines shake out, though Conor Garland, Danton Heinen, and Nils Höglander come to mind.
Certainly, Tocchet has options.