Kirill Kudryavtse
In the preseason, the Vancouver Canucks are dominating. They defeated the Seattle Kraken 3-1 at Rogers Arena on Tuesday. They won 4-3 in overtime against the Calgary Flames the next night in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Although the games are meaningless because it’s only the preseason, it’s still good to witness victories. Players get the chance to make an impression during preseason, and spectators may catch a glimpse of what could be in store. Daniel Sprong is one of those players. This season, can Sprong have an impact with the Canucks?
Sprong Makes an Impression
On Wednesday, Sprong was prepared to make an impact on his new squad. In the offseason, the 27-year-old inked a $975,000 one-year contract. It was he who scored Vancouver’s game-tying goal. It is noteworthy because it was a beautiful item that belonged on highlight reels.
After the game, Sprong made light of the fact that he felt like the captain of the Canucks after scoring a goal.
“I had a faint dancing feeling, just like Quinn Hughes,” he said, as reported by Tyson Cole of Canucks Army. “I moved quickly since time was of the essence. That’s a component of my game; I get to demonstrate my aggressiveness off the rush at the finish.
Consequently, Jake DeBrusk, another rookie, prevailed in overtime. We had already spoken with the club about DeBrusk’s ambitions for 2024–25. However, what effect can Sprong have in Vancouver?
What Effect Can Sprong Have on the Canucks?
On Wednesday night, Sprong had the best of it. Using his quickness and being aggressive off the rush are key components of his game. He has also demonstrated his ability to score goals. He scored 18 goals with the Detroit Red Wings in the previous campaign. A career-high 21 goals with the Seattle Kraken the previous season. The previous season saw a 14-goal campaign shared by Seattle and the Washington Capitals. It looks good on a résumé to have double-digit goals for three years in a row. NaturalStatTrick shows that Sprong tied for third place on the Red Wings in 5-on-5 goals during the previous season. Patrick Kane was the player with whom he was connected.
Sprong’s attacking prowess and scoring ability notwithstanding, his defensive performance raises concerns. Among strikers playing in a 5-on-5 situation in Detroit, Sprong was second in goals against per 60 minutes (2.89) and third in goals scored per 60 minutes (3.23). The attacking style of Sprong will be appreciated. He still has to improve his defensive techniques, though. Rick Tocchet is the coach for that as he is a major believer for structure and effective play without the puck. Will Sprong, nevertheless, win over Tocchet’s favor?
He must learn how to play defense in addition to scoring goals if he wants to do that. Being a strong defensive player is a difficult ask for a guy who is predominantly offensive (Andrei Kuzmenko found that out the hard way), but Sprong understands that if he wants to have an impact with the Canucks, he must fulfill it. Expectations for Sprong should be to flirt with the 35–40 point range and score in the double digits once more.
Perhaps Sprong Will Play and Have an Impact The Top Six in Vancouver
It will be intriguing to see Sprong’s position in the starting lineup. Although he can play in the top six, he is more effective in the bottom six. There is no reason why he can’t, not with the offensive energy and depth the Canucks forward brings.
J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, and DeBrusk are the clear favorites to finish in the top six. Conor Garland, Nils Höglander, and Danton Heinen are other candidates. Sprong might be in the mix as well if he continues to impress in the preseason.
There are several alternatives for Sprong. Plenty of points might be scored by a line that included Pettersson and DeBrusk. If he were to play alongside Miller and Boeser, that would also be fascinating. Since depth score is usually beneficial, the lowest six would be acceptable if not the top six. But Sprong would be among the league’s greatest values if he performs well wherever he goes.
