Key Factors that will determine Daniel Sprong playing with Crosby for a sustained period
In an expected development, Daniel Sprong opened camp on Sidney Crosby’s right wing and has stayed in that spot since. This has been a preference of management and it’s going to get a look in the preseason.
We’re at the stage of camp still where the coaching staff is in exploring mode.
I’ve mentioned in the past about how in a perfect world the staff would love for a Sprong or Dominik Simon to show sustainability of being able to play Crosby in that it would allow the staff to do other things like play Patric Hornqvist with Derick Brassard in a third line role.
Sprong has flashed his skilled game all camp, notably his dynamic shot, but we’ve learned little to this point of whether the coaching staff and Crosby will be comfortable enough to have Sprong flanking Crosby’s right wing for a long-period in the regular season.
Training camp practices are not real-game situations and neither in the preseason until about the final dress rehearsal.
Crosby’s comfort level with Sprong will matter a lot moving forward on whether he can be a mainstay here during the first quarter or so of the regular season.
A couple things that are going to be very important when it comes to evaluating Sprong’s prospects of playing a top-line role this season:
1. A winger’s ability on the wall to get the puck to Crosby in stride through the neutral zone. Chris Kunitz was tremendous at this and Jake Guentzel has perfected this vital area that has made him such a good fit to play with Crosby. This was one key area Crosby kept requesting for Dominik Simon to stay on his right wing late last season. How Sprong performs in this area will have great barring.
2. Puck support in the offense zone: The Penguins have been talking about Daniel Sprong’s play away from the puck for almost a year now. It’s not just about the defensive zone. You want to play with Crosby, you better be able to read and react quickly in the offensive zone from a puck support standpoint. Kunitz, Dupuis, and Guentzel were or are tremendous at it when playing with 87 and the coaching staff always feels they can go to Bryan Rust in a pinch because of how well he excels in this area when playing with Crosby. The organization will be watching Sprong closely here when the games begin on this part of his game.
3. Backchecking ability/Smarts: One of the primary concerns with playing Sprong on Crosby’s line has been increased defensive responsibilities for Crosby. Sprong is never going to be a great player in his own end. He is who he is. There’s a reason beyond offensive chemistry that Pascal Dupuis played years on Crosby’s right wing.
Being a good backchecker is beyond just busting your tail back to the neutral zone/defensive zone. There’s been scuttlebutt [hide] in the past that Crosby gets frustrated with Patric Hornqvist because of Hornqvist’s prioritizing a chip and chase game over zone entries. However, Hornqvist makes up for it in a lot of different areas. One is how good of a backchecker he is and how efficient he is in taking shooting lanes away in the d-zone at the point. Bryan Rust can also be included here on why he also fits with Crosby.
The Penguins know Sprong can put the puck in net and make skilled plays. He’s showing it all camp in drills and they knew it last season, but a great game next to Crosby in early January against Islanders still didn’t matter to them and there’s reasons for that.
The noted areas above will be what determines his place as a top-line winger this season. [/hide]
Big overrated with 273 yards, 3tds and an int….in the first half. Dude can play.
Big Overrated is at his best in sept.
Fresh Sprong analysis.
Killin it.
Cute, your boy just -5 me. You kids are the new power couple.
Anyone see the new flyers mascot? Absolutely insane.
Yes and most pens fans are complaining about it because their fan base comes from a kindergarten and it scares their children
Not complaining, just think it’s weird looking. But yeah, most Pens fans went to school. You neither went to school, or are a Pens fan.
-5 Alive.
Mean.
Sam gets a plus 5 for shitting on the Pens fan base on a Pens fan page but… he only has one account lol. What a fucken loser
It’s like a muppet that fell hard into infecting uppers but also had a pizza addiction.
*injecting…
It’s name is Gritty. Couldn’t call it Finesse.
Does anyone think Juuso Rikola will make team?
He’ll start in WBS. I could def see him getting called up though. Better to pay him there and let him get acclimated to that size ice than not play him here.
Chubby and Russian each – 2 tonight
And both took LAZY penalties for slashing.
They must be excited for the season
See what’s funny is we get blasted for discussing players that need to stand out during preseason because they are fighting for a spot etc but then this ass comes along and starts whining about pre-season penalties and it’s crickets lol.
Anyway the Kessel slash was offsetting with Jokinen who also took a slashing call, guess what was happening on that play boxscore?
End of the day both teams were 0-5 on the PP… soooo… they got to try the PK
How does Rick Nash look, virginal bandwagon?
Better then sheary
Well that’s not possible, one of them has a job
So explain why everyone has a -5 expect for Sam and DiegoPittFan5.
Hey “I am-5am” you’d be impressed, landed Sid and Letang in my pool this year! Gonna be a rough one I think lol
Do they give you points for turnovers?
What about game winner assists?
5 vets on the ice combined for a minus 9. That is kind of funny.
Looks like Sprong either wants to go back down to WBS or he thinks he is assured a spot on the NHL squad.
Yup, he seems to know something everyone else don’t. He was a little better today but there is little in him that suggest he is fighting for a job, either he knows he’s good to go or he’s flaking out
He must have incriminating photos of GMJR.
Wouldn’t he have to clear waivers to be sent down? He’d get claimed in a second.
I’m willing to bet he gets a reg season shake on line one to open no matter how much he’s mailed it in so far but man it’s discouraging
Just got home, turned the game on and there was Letang with a give away that was almost a goal. Letang is in Mid season form. Lol.
Riikola doing a decent job, defender depth may be a lot better than what we saw last year. May have better options with injury.
Now Errey is droooooling over him too lol
Domi is off great start lol.
I thought Scott Wilson looked good. Potential top 6 winger Pens have been missing.
Scott? Do you mean Garrett.
Or Wilson Wilson from Home Improvement.
Worried about goaltending tho, anyone have any idea how to get hold of Jeff Zatkoff? Or at the very least where he possibly could be?
He’s hiding out with stanchion in suburban Pitt. Seriously, think Stanch died? Weird sudden disappearance
Malkin looked like crap tonight. It’s going to be a long season.
Don’t worry he will be okay once pens get a lot of pp
Lol he didn’t even play. You obviously didn’t have the game on. True bandwagon move from Sam the virginal bandwagon man.
Tom Barrasso looked like crap too. Must be a bit rusty.
This Pens game is as boring as some of the posts on here.
What we learned article coming.
I’m hoping for a lot of preseason over analysis from this crew
Got it covered! That said for guys like Sprong most should be able to guess why these games actually matter for him
Let’s ask Scott Wilson
Couldn’t hurt, he played almost 70 games last year… and he produced at a level that outpaced a favourite of yours lol
Let’s chalk it up to a overall lacklustre outing by the B squad but I would have expected more from those hoping to crack the lineup. Got tight as the Sabers A squad sits on the lead but the Pens prospects leave a lot to be desired in this one. Good thing the A squad is still in contention lol
Preseason or not… Sprong looks disengaged! Buffalo has a lot of regulars in but Sprong has been rather meh. Dahlin… solid af
Not a lot of hustle, haven’t seen any thing out of this kid that would suggest he realizes he’s not guaranteed a spot this season, tonight.
I foresee Sprong being traded before the end of the season.
Pens down 2-0. How many of you turned off your TV already
Hey Sam, what do Ottawa and Montreal have in common?
They are not fake canadians ?
Oddly they are exactly that… the French lost asshole.
Two teams managed into the gutter with a bunch of trash on both rosters and who were both fucked hard moving great d men
Ottawa had no choice, Montreal just made a terrible choice.
Ottawa has an owner currently trying to lobby the NHL to lower the floor. He’s a menace and the team will internally be held down until Melnyk sells. With an asset like Karlsson they could have got better assets in return
Pens game will be on NHL network at 1am tonight.
Your mom should tape it for you. Scratch that, I’ll reach over and grab the remote while Im banging her.
Sorry, that was mean and the wrong way to start the 2018-19 season.
For Scum bags like him it’s a good way to start the season
Hey sam, true or false… the day the Penguins robbed Toronto for Kessel you used Doan as a “better” option?
Don’t leave out St. Louis!
And Hudler