Fantasy Take: Sprong Has Sprung in Vancouver
Ian Gooding
2024-07-20
The Vancouver Canucks have signed winger Daniel Sprong to a one-year contract worth $975,000.
At age 27, Sprong already fits the definition of a journeyman, as the Canucks will be his sixth NHL team. Sprong has reached over 40 points and double-digit power-play points in back-to-back seasons despite averaging no more than 12 minutes of icetime in either season. Sprong also finished with 2.8 PTS/60 in 2023-24, which was fourth on the Red Wings; and 3.7 PTS/60 in 2022-23, which was tops on the Kraken that season. He also consistently averages at least two shots per game, which helps his fantasy value.
Sprong's efficient production in relatively few minutes begs the question of why he does not receive more icetime. That is because Sprong is not considered a strong defensive player. The best-case scenario with this signing is that Sprong is exactly the top-6 winger that the Canucks need and has a career season. The worst-case scenario is that he ends up in Rick Tocchet's doghouse because of his defensive habits and never gets out, similar to Andrei Kuzmenko before he was traded to Calgary.
At even strength, Sprong could ideally find himself as the third winger beside J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser or beside Elias Pettersson and newly acquired Jake DeBrusk. Regular minutes on one of those lines could bump his icetime past the 15-minute mark for the first time in his career. If the Canucks retain the third line of Teddy Blueger, Dakota Joshua, and Conor Garland, which was highly effective in a shutdown role, Sprong could be used in a top-6 role. However, Sprong has been effective in limited minutes, so the Canucks could simply copy what other teams have done. Effectively sheltering Sprong will be key to making this signing work, which could continue to keep his icetime under the 15-minute mark.
The Canucks' top power play projects to be Pettersson, Miller, Boeser, DeBrusk, and Hughes, so Sprong seems more likely to appear on a second unit that could also feature Garland, Pius Suter, and either Joshua or Nils Hoglander. In the event of an injury to a top forward, Sprong seems like an ideal candidate to move up to the top unit.
Players this helps, in order:
Sprong
Players this hurts, in order:
Suter
Hoglander
–
Discuss the Sprong signing in this thread in the Forum.
Related Posts
UPCOMING GAMES
| Jan 22 - 19:01 |
 N.J
| vs |
 BOS | |
| Jan 22 - 19:01 |
 TOR
| vs |
 CBJ | |
| Jan 22 - 21:01 |
 COL
| vs |
 WPG | |
| Jan 22 - 22:01 |
 L.A
| vs |
 FLA
| |
Starting Goalies
Top Skater Views
| Players | Team | |
|---|---|---|
| DARREN RADDYSH |
 T.B | |
| LANE HUTSON |
 MTL | |
| MIKE LUNDIN |
 | |
| KAAPO KAKKO |
 SEA | |
| PAVEL DOROFEYEV |
 VGK
| |
Top Goalie Profile Views
DAL
WSH
OTT
NYR
LINE COMBOS
| Frequency |
 CAR Players
| |
|---|---|---|
| 25.7 | ANDREI SVECHNIKOV JACKSON BLAKE SEBASTIAN AHO | |
| 20.0 | JORDAN STAAL JORDAN MARTINOOK SETH JARVIS | |
| 18.6 | ERIC ROBINSON MARTIN NECAS JESPERI KOTKANIEMI | |
DobberHockey Podcasts
Keeping Karlsson: May the Schwartz Be With You
Elan and Brian see new sides of Jaden Schwartz and Kaapo Kakko, get hopeful for Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Tomas Hertl and Jason Robertson, and take a moment to sympathize with Eric Comrie.
Fantasy Hockey Life: Western Conference Buys and Sells
Victor and Jesse make the rounds of the Western Conference with an argument on opne buy and one sell for each team. We talk Jackson LaCombe, Mason McTavish, Martin Pospisil, Nazem Kadri, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Matthew Savoie, Drew Doughty, Kevin Fiala, William Eklund, Thomas Bordeleau, Shane Wright, Chandler Stephenson, Tom Willander, Jake DeBrusk, Victor Olofsson, Noah […]
Keeping Karlsson: Matchup Maximizer Week 16
Elan looks at the schedule for the upcoming week of NHL action and recommends some players with good schedules that you should consider streaming in to win your head to head matchups.
Keeping Karlsson Short Shifts – The Wilkes-Jarry Penguins
Elizabeth and Lewis are back to take listeners through a host of power play changes that are giving managers the opportunity to get exposure to great players off the waiver wire, including Philly, Jersey, and Tampa talk. They also cover Jarry’s AHL demotion, Cooley’s ascension to the top-line and powerplay, and injuries to Tavares and Hintz. The duo wrap up with some hot and cold streak deep dives, including discussion of the Red Wings crazy powerplay success in the last ten games, whether Erik Gustafsson is rosterable or an overperforming illusion, Fantilli’s continued success, Merilainen as Hamburglar 2.0, and whether Schenn’s success and Neighbours’ lack thereof are likely to continue.
Keeping Karlsson: Leaving Letang
Elan and Brian find a couple volume and potential starters showing up midseason, consider whether Jake Walman really is on the league’s longest hot streak, and encourage you to pause the pod for a Columbus 1C stepping onto one of the NHL’s best lines.