The Vancouver Canucks have signed free agent right winger Daniel Sprong to a one-year contract worth $0.875 million.
Sprong, 27, is coming off the back of a 43 point (18+25) season across 78 games with the Detroit Red Wings. Sprong, the Pittsburgh Penguins' 46th overall pick in the 2015 draft, has skated in 344 games so far, notching 85 goals and 74 assists for a total of 159 points.
The Canucks will be the Dutchman's sixth team having previously played for the Penguins, Ducks, Capitals, Kraken and the Red Wings.
Sprong began his hockey career in his native Netherlands, before coming to North America in his youth, playing in Quebec and Pennsylvania. He would be selected by the Charlottetown Islanders 13th overall in the 2013 QMJHL Draft, where he would spend the entirety of his four season junior career.
His 88 point draft year campaign would lead to him getting his name called in the second round of the NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He would get a whiff of pro hockey the following season, making the Penguins out of camp for 18 games, etching 2 assists, before returning to Charlottetown until he would join the Penguins AHL affiliate for their playoff run, notching 7 points (5+2) over 10 games.
Despite the pro experience, he wouldn't make the Penguins roster the following year, returning to Charlottetown to finish his QMJHL career.
He would register a whopping 261 points (117+144) across 199 games in the QMJHL, before fully making the jump to pro.
He would never solidify his roster spot with the Penguins, nor with the Ducks afterwards. He would become a full time NHLer with the Washington Capitals, albeit often being scratched for his offense first approach despite playing down the lineup.
It wasn't until arriving in Seattle via trade when Sprong's offense took the next step. He wouldn't score after the trade, but would assist six goals across his sixteen games to finish the season.
That would prove to be the appetizer, as the following year he would breakout by scoring 46 points (21+25) over only 66 games.
Despite the eye-opening production, he would go on to sign a one year deal with the Detroit Red Wings for $2.0 million, to see if he could repeat the same success. As it would turn out, Sprong could and with even less ice time -- around 10 minutes a night.
Once again, he accepts yet another prove-it dealt, this time for only $0.975 million with the Vancouver Canucks.
Sprong should provide ample depth scoring, albeit with questionable play in his own end. If re-enforced with more defensive linemates, he should be well worth the risk -- especially at under a million,
Furthermore, if there happens to be injuries within the top-six, Sprong would be an easy fix. If he can score 20 goals and above a 50 point pace while playing bottom six minutes, one can only imagine what Sprong might be able to do if given a true chance.