Penguins Update: Time to Spring Sprong

Once upon a time, the Penguins drafted a promising young Swedish forward named Markus Naslund. The youngster had all the tools…wheels, playmaking ability and a sizzling shot.

Following a difficult start to his NHL career, Naslund tore out of the starting blocks in 1995-96 at a scorching pace while skating alongside Mario Lemieux. When he cooled, then-Pens coach Eddie Johnston yanked the budding sniper off the top line and consigned him to the bottom six. The kid lost confidence.

Within weeks the Pens peddled him to Vancouver for power forward Alek Stojanov. Later serving as the Canucks’ captain, Naslund went on to score 395 goals over an exemplary 15-season NHL career…Stojanov two.

Sorry for the long-winded intro. But this cautionary tale reminds me of another young forward from across the pond who’s trying to establish himself with our present Pens.

After spending a good chunk of the preseason on Sidney Crosby’s flank, Daniel Sprong was recently demoted to the fourth line. For the erstwhile sniper, it’s kind of like landing on the Go to Jail square on a Monopoly game board.

Like Naslund before him, he ain’t your prototypical fourth liner. After notching 32 goals (in 31 games) for Charlottetown during his final season of junior, the Amsterdam native lit the lamp 32 more times for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2017-18, his first full season of pro hockey.

During a much-ballyhooed eight-game cameo with the Pens, Sprong notched a pair of goals and an assist, with all of the points coming during a 4-0 romp over the Islanders on January 5. There were other things to like as well, including a stunning Corsi for at even strength of 63.2. That’s a whole lot of possessing the puck.

The Hockey News, a respected and revered publication, writes of Sprong’s abilities in glowing terms: A tremendous skater, he is a very creative playmaker with excellent hockey sense. Is also a quality finisher with a lethal shot and a nose for the net. Owns plenty of confidence in his playing ability.

So why is No. 41 toiling on the fourth line alongside Riley Sheahan and Matt Cullen? Good question. I’ll let Mike Sullivan answer.

“I’d like to think we’ve created an environment here where all our players have to earn their ice time and earn their opportunities,” said the Pens’ coach. “You look at the last few years, no one’s been handed anything here. Everybody’s earned every opportunity they’ve been given through their performance and through their body of work.”

In other words, the kid’s got to earn his keep.

Sullivan went on to say that Sprong’s had an “up and down” training camp. Kind of an apt description of the relationship that exists between the two. Mostly down.

The rumblings began shortly after Sprong was returned to the Baby Pens in January. Sully was reported to have issues with the kid’s work ethic and play away from the puck. Perhaps his attitude, too.

“There is something about Sprong that seems to annoy coaches,” wrote Josh Yohe for The Athletic. “I saw it with Mike Johnston. I see it with Sullivan, too. He’s young and he’ll learn. He’s a great talent. But perhaps the attitude still isn’t perfect.”

Where there’s smoke, there’s generally fire. Almost on cue, Sprong fell into a mysterious funk, tallying only three goals over a 20-game stretch before heating up with 11 goals over his final 15 contests.

Encouraged by Sprong’s finishing flourish, the Pens called him up for the 2018 playoffs. However, while fellow youngsters Zach Aston-Reese and Dominik Simon saw considerable ice time, the 21-year-old phenom sat in mothballs. A personnel decision GM Jim Rutherford clearly planned to remedy.

“He’s (Sprong’s) a very talented player that will score a lot of goals in this league and he will be a regular on our team next year,” JR announced at a press conference shortly after the Pens were eliminated.

Strong words. Ones that, on the surface, threatened to put the plucky GM squarely at odds with his coach, who appears to have far less faith in the kid. Nor does it help that Sprong’s slotted behind fixtures like Patric Hornqvist and Phil Kessel on the right side.

Perhaps Sullivan feels that skating next to an old pro like Cullen will aid in Sprong’s development, especially when it comes to defensive-zone play. Too, not having to face other team’s top defensive pairings might take some pressure off the kid and lead to better scoring opportunities.

Ultimately, the coaching staff will need to give Sprong a prolonged look in a top-six role. They’ll also need to be patient, a quality that might be in short supply given the team’s Cup aspirations.

If he doesn’t pan out? Then perhaps a trade is the best option.

But JR beware. Remember Naslund.