Penguins trade Sprong for Petterson

Give me a break!!!!

Today Jim Rutherford shipped out another resident of Mike Sullivan’s Dog House. Daniel Sprong was sent to Anaheim for left handed Defense prospect Marcus Petterson.

Marcus Petterson

Height: 6′-3″, Weight:177

Season	GP	G	A	Pts	(+/-)	PIM
2017-2018	22	1	3	4	5	6
2018-2019	27	0	6	6	4	17

Daniel Sprong

Height: 6′-0″, Weight: 180

Season	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM
2015-2016	18	2	0	2	-1	0
2017-2018	8	2	1	3	2	0
2018-2019	16	0	4	4	-7	0

Am I upset about Sprong being traded? No, this is a business and Sprong was an asset that was being utilized. Furthermore, the team may have another player Sullivan can ruin in the minors to replace Sprong in Sullivan’s Dog House. I have been waiting for this shoe to drop for some time. And let’s face it, the kid hasn’t look anywhere near as good as he did last Spring when Sullivan banished the kid back to Wilkes Barre – Scranton despite Sprong leading the team in many categories at the time of his departure.

What I am upset about is multifaceted;

First Sprong is just one more in a growing laundry list of players that Sullivan failed. Yes! Sullivan failed! If we were just talking about Sprong, than it was Sprong. But we are now talking about a long list of players that most recently included Ian Cole and Ryan Reaves.

Second of all, Sullivan’s failure also weakened the team. By not putting Sprong in a position to succeed, he stripped any value from Sprong so Rutherford could bring very little in return.

Third, Rutherford traded for another left handed Defensemen. There are almost no right handed Defensemen in this organization and a plethora of port side Defensemen, yet Rutherford brought in another lefty.

Rutherford, you had better start looking at the Coach, hard and serious. As I have written before, Sullivan is no longer capable of getting this team to equal its record when  Mike Johnston was fired. Sullivan has this team, a team with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, two of the best players in the league, teetering on a razor thin edge (2 points) above the bottom of the division.

Mario, please start looking at the GM. This trade means absolutely nothing to a team that is foundering. Nothing was lost nor was anything really gained. Sullivan wasn’t really ever going to give Sprong a chance and Petteron was hardly needed. A right handed Defenseman was needed.

I could handle the team dropping back a year to retool but the list of players Sullivan can’t get along with and the poor signings and trades are starting to wear very thin!

Forgive me Marcus Petterson, I mean no disrespect for you. First and foremost I bleed black-and-gold, so I always want what is best for the team, so I am rooting for you to come in and make the best of it. My tirade is frustration over a revolving door of players that the coach can’t seem to get along with!