Penguins/NHL
It is very early, the Penguins were playing the Hurricanes JV team, and NHL front office types will often say don’t read much of anything into how players perform during the first week of the preseason (the real evaluation period begins during the second week of preseason games) but 2015 2nd round pick Daniel Sprong has caught even Penguin officials by surprise at how his game looks more developed than they even believed it was or would show against NHL talent. [hide]
Among the standouts in camp so far, Sprong tonight had a goal and assist in the Penguins 7-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Regarded by scouts coming in as a hot dog player who tries to make the fancy 1-on-1 play and doesn’t care about playing in his own end, Sprong has been the opposite so far.
He handled the physical play well down low tonight and what really stands out is the ability to find players in space, something Mike Johnston noted after the game.
“He [caught] my eye in the London tournament,” Johnston said. “If you’re looking at a guy that just got drafted, Sprong he’s got a good stick, he’s strong on the puck, his awareness, he see’s people all over the ice.”
I had one high ranking official tell me today that Sprong is more physically ready to play in the NHL as an 18 year old than Kasperi Kapanen was last year when the Penguins gave some thought to keeping Kapanen around.
Johnston said to expect Sprong to stay around for a while.
“He’ll probably get a long look here through training camp,” Johnston said of Sprong. “He’s going to be a top winger. To get top wingers in an organization that has very good centers is a positive. That was a good pick by our scouts.”[/hide]
