lol, exactly why I'm here. I remember watching this the first time and was talking about it after the signing with some friends.. My hope.. Tocchet can reign him in defensively a bit.
@@randombutrelevantBecause it isn't easier. It requires work and constant concentration. Some people just don't have that continuous effort in them. Problem is that people always appreciate more good offence because they think it's harder to learn than defence. In NHL level that isn't the case.
If it was true that D was harder, every elite player would be good at defense. Most are awful, and only some are even good. It's a skill that needs development just like offense
The analysis of what sprong should have done was pretty weird (like saying he should have taken the body in the neutral zone when he was nowhere near anyone)
Hell of a video, I knew he was good offensively but didn’t realize he was THAT good. Was wondering why he played so little but never noticed how ineffective he is defensively. Thank you for making this.
Dude is a legendary fourth liner in my book. Didn't know much about him when he first started with Detroit but his quick accurate shot quickly made me remember his name. He also gave up the 88 to Patrick Kane when he rolled into town. A real class act.
I love sprong, but there is no denying that's he's a defensive liability. The trick is going to be not over paying for his offense. I hope he sticks around.
I played against this guy when we were about 14. Best player on the ice and I knew for sure he was gonna be playing in the show. Awesome to see him get some well deserved recognition.
@@TheChupacabrahe played in Montreal, I grew up playing with him. His offence abilities were always the best on every team but ya his defence lacked to say the least
Ah shit! Ive been stuck in this shit hole called Seattle as well man! I've been here for a bone marrow transplant from April till it looks like I get to leave tomorrow! Holy shit!! Can't believe I'm almost free! And yeah, wings fan here also. I hope you get to escape also. Can't believe people live here on purpose. Back to Montana!
Sprong played junior in my hometown. Have followed his career ever since. Glad to see him fitting in well with Detroit. I think when he feels secure and gets a longer contract hopefully next year he'll become a more well rounded player but ive always loved watching his offensive talent
@@randombutrelevant Not everyone were taught how to play defense properly in the juniors. If you are good enough to dominate, you rarely need to play d in the juniors. And its very hard to change habits that you have been doing your whole life. Those things should have been corrected 10-15 years ago for him.
This is fantastic analysis. What's most frustrating (although, in a way, gives Sprong potential) is that it's barely even a question of exerting "more effort" with him. He just has to stop shutting his brain off in the defensive zone. It really makes you wonder how he hasn't been able to address these problems already -- is it stubbornness or a mental block?
You’re exactly right! He’s still decently young so I do wonder if he can turn it around on the defensive side as he continues to mature. Glad you enjoyed the video!
@@Irevoltnowno one is born with hockey IQ…some players are just selfish and only care about offense. Sprong is puck watching bc he’s always thinking about breaking out of the zone on O instead of committing to D.
Thanks for this, as a Detroit fan I keep asking, why doesn’t Sprong play more! He hustles (consistently gives himself breakaways because of strong speed, and forces a lot of turnovers on the forecheck. Hadn’t watched him closely in the d zone but now it makes more sense why he doesn’t play much, I think if he keeps hustling as he has, he will improve!
@@Woody10719 Exactly. You don't need good decision making for offence. Either shoot, pass or look for position. But for defence you are playing formation as a team. You can't just think of the puck. Offence is very straightforward. Score get rewarded. But there is no reward for defence. The only driving motivator for learning defence is the will to win. It's crazy people just assume these things happen magically. It only happens if the player has the will for it.
Wings have great offensive depth. They. A couple of weeks ago wings got 10 players with at least 10+ goals. Now they have 12 and will have 14 by the end of the season. Nobody else in the NHL has more than Detroit in players with 10+ goals
As of 3 days ago it was DET 12, VAN 10, BOS,CAR,COL,DAL, NJ with 9. May have changed but other than looking at each team idk if that stat is easily available. It was an infograph during the game against washington.
That was one of the better video's I watched in a while,,being a Red Wing fan made it even sweeter and the fact that Sprong comes from down the street..and that my grandson plays in the same minor league,,,enough said...A BIG thank you !! Yes I have SUBSCRIBED
Awesome breakdown… thanks for giving us an idea of what to expect. Sure sounds a lot like Kuzmenko… doesn’t seem like a Tocc guy at all. Should be interesting if Sprong takes this opportunity to improve his defensive game and open up other opportunities as he is still quite young overall. By the looks of it he seems to be more of a centerman. These defensive highlights wouldn’t look so bad if he was not the winger… he naturally drifts low in front of his own net. The board work and d-zone coverage for wingers is definitely a specific skill set. Anyway… hope he has a positive experience in Vancouver.
I was just talking about sprong to a guy at my work the other day. I was like that sprong guy always seems to be on the score sheet and he always seems to score at crucial times. I’ve always wondered why he doesn’t get more praise. You did a great job on breaking it all down in this video and he really is a great role player. 👍
Wings fan here: Nucks fans will love him at the start, but by the end of the year, they'll see why he never stays with a team for very long. He only seems to care about scoring goals. His compete level is nearly zero. He only gets offensive zone starts and PP time, but even then, he can end up being a liability. I'm glad we didn't re-sign him.
I’ve known about Sprong since he played for the same travel team I played with growing up in Wilkes barre then when he got drafted by Pittsburgh! Pretty cool story!
Great breakdown. Would be idea if mentioned if the points/60 is normalized for even strength. If straight up points/60 is used, it heavily skews in favor of players with high PP time. Massive disadvantage to big PK players. Overall, amazing analysis. That's a problem he's had his entire career.
I liked him as a Cap and wanted to see more of him, but he must piss the hell out of coaches because it’s not just the Caps that had issues with him. He basically has had issues with every coaching staff everywhere he’s gone.
Anyone who tries to say spong isn’t a strong player or is too small/weak for the NHL needs to be shown this video.. hi to mountain and jim if you see this ..its shadow ...dont be suprise if they make the playoff from a comeback end season..
As a Wings' fan, i hope Sprong gets a hat trick every game this season, and the Canucks lose every game 4-3, but in overtime, so they don't fold as a team, and have to endure this losing streak for longer. In all seriousness, Sprong had some absolutely clutch goals this season & he really capitalized on his 'should score' moments like breakaways. Great player.
I don’t understand when forwards are lazy on defense. Guess I’ve always played D, and that tends to be my priority, but it just never makes sense to me to not fight for a puck
Can't fix desire or intensity. We've some of the best two way forwards in red and white. He has a lot to live up to in that shirt. I hope he is actively working on theses.
Kyle Dubas should have signed Sprong. Dubas made all bad decisions. Sprong's contract: 1 year at $2 million. Way to go Dubas. Nice stats in the video. I was right about wanting former UFA Sprong back to the Pens and your excellent video reinforced statistically what I already knew without knowing. Again, way to go Dubas.
I don't watch hockey at all but I loved this vid! You did a fabulous job breaking everything down and I had a blast hearing about a dude I didn't know existed!
Great video overall. Don't know if you've payed attention to Alex Holtz on the devils, being stuck on the 4th line. If you have watched him, would you say that these situations are similar?
Haha it wasn't intentional. I didn't want to repeat each name until we got down to Sprong so I skipped a bunch of names, not just Tkachuk (I'm actually a big Tkachuk fan lmao)
He is great, don't know why the Kraken let him go. Good observation on his poor defensive play, but a guy with that talent and skating speed can learn how to be better on defence. A real find for the Red Wings.
When he was a free agent in the off season he was on my radar for the wings. He had 21 goals with limited minutes in Seattle. Then of course free agncey comes and Yzerman sighs him 😂 I was happy and he’s played so well.
Because his one way play...with sheltered minutes of offensive starts greater than defensive hes trash...a reason he played for 6 teams in 9 seasons...but make more content over 900k signings
I've been in love with Sprong's offensive game for about 4 years now, really happy to see him get one of these types of videos even if it does showcase how bad his defensive game can be lol.
Unsurprising seeing as hes on his 5th team already at 26 years old and when you consider his scouting reports have read like this since before he was in the league "While Sprong has shown he is probably one of the biggest offensive threats in this years draft, arrogance and self-importance have brought up as some questionable personality traits for this youngster" Also this Per The Athletic: "His teammates weren’t particularly enamored with his personality after Sprong was drafted in the second round in 2015. In fact, he was forced to take an Uber from his Pittsburgh hotel to training camp in Cranberry Township on a daily basis in 2015 because some of his veteran teammates didn’t take kindly to him." Seems like he could be a really good player with a little more maturity and discipline in the defensive zone.
I knew nothing of Sprong until he was picked up by Seattle. Then he started scoring. It was insane. Next season, I thought they would keep him, and surprised they let him walk. He's an exciting forward to watch. But, I have to keep reminding a buddy of mine why they can't push him up in the lineup. If he ever got in a chance to work on his defense, dude would easily be in the top 6.
When I saw the picture of Spronger laying on the ice after making a big play I thought "Where have I seen this before?" Then I remembered the movie MIRACLE- Almost identical picture of Rob McClanahan smiling and laying on the ice right after making the pass to Mike Eruzioni. 1980 Lake Placid... USA!
and this is why you can't take advanced stats too seriously. He does have a great shot but saying he has one of the best is insane. That's why stats can be misleading. No doubt Sprong is good offensively, but it's not lke he would be an 80+ points player if he played top line minutes.
This was eye opening as a Wings fan how ineffective he is on defense. It's sad too because it looks like at least some of that issue could be solved with a little defensive effort, but it doesn't seem to be there
The way Sprong has been treated in his career is like he couldn't stop sleeping with the coach's wife. Either he has horrible breath, a personality like sandpaper, or the discipline of a 2 year old brat. Stats like his SHOULD speak for themselves. He's a -2 plus/minus career wise in 344 total NHL games, with a career 11.8% SP. Played a bit for Pittsburgh, Anaheim and Washington, but his 6th team in 10 years suggests he's a locker room cancer. Can't believe the Canuks got him so cheap.
The thing ill never get is how coaches are ok with putting guys out that produce no offense and slighlty above average defensive stats. But then refuse to put a guy out with extremly good offensive stats even if he is bad in the D zone. For example Ryan Reaves is terrible but teams want him. Nobody seems to want sprong despite how effective he is. Same with Holtz in NJ, Ruff would rather play Brendan Smith at forward who creates nothing over a guy like Holtz who can create
Incorrect, it’s a heavily biased and unreliable measure; literally depending on your linemates and when/how you get used (like who you play against or how much powerplays you are on) will vastly alter your stats.
I bought a penguins sprong sweater... cant say it got much use =o( I wish they just let him loose but he does suck defensively and coaches just feel like they can't trust him. I think he could have learned a lot playing behind phil the thrill.
several players were like that before. if you want more time in the top 6 role! You must work on your weakness. #91 could be a Zack Hyman if the coach did work with his weakness! Ultimately its the players mindset and choice. oh shit why do i have to play defense? Alexander G comes to mind all!
Aha! Well, i finally got on the Yzerwagon and i was at one of those games. While i was explaining the game of hockey to my child, i kept stopping midsentence trying to figure out what #SPRONG! was doing. Plus plus Minus equals Zero
I hope that doesn't end up happening with Demidov. So much is being said about his offensive creativity. But I've heard nothing of his defense. Fingers crossed.
Same logic applies for Pastrnak's game. He's not there to make any defense moves. Plenty of times making turnovers or just neglecting to cover opponents on the blue line. Which he makes up for by scoring multiple goals.
I wouldn’t necessarily call points per 60 “one of the most objectively telling stats” because it has quite a few flaws of its own. Great video regardless.
In my opinion Matheson is the defensman version of Sprong. He really was solid points per 60 wise but never got the chance (until now) and is horrible defensively.
Every parent should show this to their kids. teach them to play real hockey not this half ass garbage. Won't be in the league in 3 years. Too many guys that compete. Talent doesn't mean crap if you don't have heart. He has zero heart.
Sprong is a 50 plus goal scorer waiting to happen..it will do the RedWings justice to put a couple of zeros in his account now before he hits free agency
Sprong is what we call “all tools, but no toolbox”. He has incredible talent, but is a combination of too lazy and too dull to properly play as a top 6 forward.
Who’s rewatching this Video after he got signed by the Canucks?
lol, exactly why I'm here. I remember watching this the first time and was talking about it after the signing with some friends.. My hope.. Tocchet can reign him in defensively a bit.
Me
Yep. I’m looking forward to him shooting alongside defensively responsible Petey and Debrusk. And tock tutelage…
Me 🙋🏽♂️
He will thrive under Tocchet
Defensively better and offensively
incrediby good analysis of his defensive problems
@@randombutrelevantBecause it isn't easier. It requires work and constant concentration. Some people just don't have that continuous effort in them. Problem is that people always appreciate more good offence because they think it's harder to learn than defence. In NHL level that isn't the case.
@@randombutrelevant questionable take on defense...
If it was true that D was harder, every elite player would be good at defense. Most are awful, and only some are even good. It's a skill that needs development just like offense
The analysis of what sprong should have done was pretty weird (like saying he should have taken the body in the neutral zone when he was nowhere near anyone)
well put :)@@markiv2942
The irony that cunuck hockey makes a video about him and then the canucks sign him
Hell of a video, I knew he was good offensively but didn’t realize he was THAT good. Was wondering why he played so little but never noticed how ineffective he is defensively. Thank you for making this.
what a great breakdown on the x's and o's of a hockey player and how a coach would use them in their system
Glad you enjoyed it!
Dude is a legendary fourth liner in my book. Didn't know much about him when he first started with Detroit but his quick accurate shot quickly made me remember his name. He also gave up the 88 to Patrick Kane when he rolled into town. A real class act.
He gave up 88, but that number 17 was worn by Brett Hull so not a bad trade! Let's go Red Wings!
Legend is a stretch to say the least. And he had no choice but to give up the 88. Likely started wearing the number because Kane in the first place.
I love sprong, but there is no denying that's he's a defensive liability. The trick is going to be not over paying for his offense. I hope he sticks around.
@@ML-kx9gz he wore 88 to honour Ovi. He never wanted to wear 8 because it's Ovi's number but decided to wear 88 as a tribute to Ovi.
If the wings make a deep playoff run, Sprong and Petry are absolutely hazards to our success.
I played against this guy when we were about 14. Best player on the ice and I knew for sure he was gonna be playing in the show. Awesome to see him get some well deserved recognition.
Dutch guy who played in California? Does he act more American or more euro?
@@TheChupacabrahe played in Montreal, I grew up playing with him. His offence abilities were always the best on every team but ya his defence lacked to say the least
One of the only hockey channels besides hockey psychology that provides great in depth analysis of hockey. Keep it up 👍
I know it's just a one-year deal, but I'm pretty happy that the Vancouver Canucks signed him
I’m a Detroit fan currently living in Seattle, once the wings picked him up from the kraken I knew he was gonna fit great
Wings fans in Seattle babyyy 🙌
He must catch hell from coaches. I was surprised the Caps dealt him, his salary to goal ratio was great
Ah shit! Ive been stuck in this shit hole called Seattle as well man! I've been here for a bone marrow transplant from April till it looks like I get to leave tomorrow! Holy shit!! Can't believe I'm almost free! And yeah, wings fan here also. I hope you get to escape also. Can't believe people live here on purpose. Back to Montana!
Sprong played junior in my hometown. Have followed his career ever since. Glad to see him fitting in well with Detroit. I think when he feels secure and gets a longer contract hopefully next year he'll become a more well rounded player but ive always loved watching his offensive talent
He was awesome on the island
@@randombutrelevant Not everyone were taught how to play defense properly in the juniors. If you are good enough to dominate, you rarely need to play d in the juniors. And its very hard to change habits that you have been doing your whole life. Those things should have been corrected 10-15 years ago for him.
You can say the same for Patrick Lane, huge defensive liability…
PEI
Tends to work the other way around. Once you show what you can do you get a contract to match. You don't get paid for what you've never been.
His defensive effort is lower than beer league.
I was wondering how the Canucks got him so cheap. He looks like a genius in the offensive zone and like a geriatric in the defensive zone.
GO CANUCKS GO
Detroit got a gem, meanwhile Tampa signed Sheary for the same price who has a grand total of 1 goal. Just awful.
I still don’t understand why he’s still playing for Tampa. Jon Cooper needs to scratch him and BriseBois needs to get rid of him.
This is fantastic analysis. What's most frustrating (although, in a way, gives Sprong potential) is that it's barely even a question of exerting "more effort" with him. He just has to stop shutting his brain off in the defensive zone. It really makes you wonder how he hasn't been able to address these problems already -- is it stubbornness or a mental block?
You’re exactly right! He’s still decently young so I do wonder if he can turn it around on the defensive side as he continues to mature. Glad you enjoyed the video!
I’d guess it is stubbornness. He has a history of that sort of attitude.
@@CunuckHockeyI can’t imagine Yzerman accepting a defensive liability who refuses to adapt for long
Or it just might be down to hockey IQ. Either you are born with or not. That is something that is really hard to get better at during career.
@@Irevoltnowno one is born with hockey IQ…some players are just selfish and only care about offense. Sprong is puck watching bc he’s always thinking about breaking out of the zone on O instead of committing to D.
Every leg day when i have to dig deep to get out those last sets of squats, I think to myself this is how you get that Sprong backside
Thanks for this, as a Detroit fan I keep asking, why doesn’t Sprong play more! He hustles (consistently gives himself breakaways because of strong speed, and forces a lot of turnovers on the forecheck. Hadn’t watched him closely in the d zone but now it makes more sense why he doesn’t play much, I think if he keeps hustling as he has, he will improve!
dudes been in the league 9 years, hes not improving his d game anytime soon.
@@Woody10719 Exactly. You don't need good decision making for offence. Either shoot, pass or look for position. But for defence you are playing formation as a team. You can't just think of the puck. Offence is very straightforward. Score get rewarded. But there is no reward for defence. The only driving motivator for learning defence is the will to win. It's crazy people just assume these things happen magically. It only happens if the player has the will for it.
@@Raumance and not everyone have that burning desire to win. Just a fact.
@@severimakela3141 Exactly. Scoring goals is just fun so of course everyone likes it. But defence is not.
Wings have great offensive depth. They. A couple of weeks ago wings got 10 players with at least 10+ goals. Now they have 12 and will have 14 by the end of the season. Nobody else in the NHL has more than Detroit in players with 10+ goals
As of 3 days ago it was DET 12, VAN 10, BOS,CAR,COL,DAL, NJ with 9. May have changed but other than looking at each team idk if that stat is easily available. It was an infograph during the game against washington.
Gonna miss him in Detroit. I was disappointed when we didn’t re-sign him
Loved him on the Caps. Wish we held onto him. Glad to see him doing so well.
That was one of the better video's I watched in a while,,being a Red Wing fan made it even sweeter and the fact that Sprong comes from down the street..and that my grandson plays in the same minor league,,,enough said...A BIG thank you !! Yes I have SUBSCRIBED
If you’re going to play like Gretzky you better average 3 points a game like Gretzky.
Good breakdown. Thanks.
Awesome breakdown… thanks for giving us an idea of what to expect. Sure sounds a lot like Kuzmenko… doesn’t seem like a Tocc guy at all. Should be interesting if Sprong takes this opportunity to improve his defensive game and open up other opportunities as he is still quite young overall. By the looks of it he seems to be more of a centerman. These defensive highlights wouldn’t look so bad if he was not the winger… he naturally drifts low in front of his own net. The board work and d-zone coverage for wingers is definitely a specific skill set. Anyway… hope he has a positive experience in Vancouver.
Great breakdown. Excited to see how he does with Vancouver, maybe Tocchet will make him more defensively responsible.
I was just talking about sprong to a guy at my work the other day. I was like that sprong guy always seems to be on the score sheet and he always seems to score at crucial times. I’ve always wondered why he doesn’t get more praise. You did a great job on breaking it all down in this video and he really is a great role player. 👍
Amazing analysis. He was and is my favorite Kraken
Wings fan here: Nucks fans will love him at the start, but by the end of the year, they'll see why he never stays with a team for very long. He only seems to care about scoring goals. His compete level is nearly zero. He only gets offensive zone starts and PP time, but even then, he can end up being a liability. I'm glad we didn't re-sign him.
Preach! 🙌
LGRW!!!
I’ve known about Sprong since he played for the same travel team I played with growing up in Wilkes barre then when he got drafted by Pittsburgh! Pretty cool story!
Great breakdown.
Would be idea if mentioned if the points/60 is normalized for even strength.
If straight up points/60 is used, it heavily skews in favor of players with high PP time. Massive disadvantage to big PK players.
Overall, amazing analysis. That's a problem he's had his entire career.
I liked him as a Cap and wanted to see more of him, but he must piss the hell out of coaches because it’s not just the Caps that had issues with him. He basically has had issues with every coaching staff everywhere he’s gone.
Anyone who tries to say spong isn’t a strong player or is too small/weak for the NHL needs to be shown this video.. hi to mountain and jim if you see this ..its shadow ...dont be suprise if they make the playoff from a comeback end season..
Watched him play for the Charlottetown Islanders. Sprong was the only player on the ice I knew would make it to the big league
Him being on the wrong side of the door and door opener guy in the penalty box is hilarious!! That seems like concerning lack awareness/positioning.
As a Wings' fan, i hope Sprong gets a hat trick every game this season, and the Canucks lose every game 4-3, but in overtime, so they don't fold as a team, and have to endure this losing streak for longer.
In all seriousness, Sprong had some absolutely clutch goals this season & he really capitalized on his 'should score' moments like breakaways. Great player.
Very interesting and well done. His time in Washington was also very much the same. Great shot but a liability on defense
I don’t understand when forwards are lazy on defense. Guess I’ve always played D, and that tends to be my priority, but it just never makes sense to me to not fight for a puck
man I really want to extend him on the Wings but this guy's probably gonna get paid
They have to keep him he's too good.
Can't fix desire or intensity. We've some of the best two way forwards in red and white. He has a lot to live up to in that shirt. I hope he is actively working on theses.
Kyle Dubas should have signed Sprong. Dubas made all bad decisions. Sprong's contract: 1 year at $2 million. Way to go Dubas. Nice stats in the video. I was right about wanting former UFA Sprong back to the Pens and your excellent video reinforced statistically what I already knew without knowing. Again, way to go Dubas.
P/60 is a misleading stat for a lot of players like Sprong.
I don't watch hockey at all but I loved this vid! You did a fabulous job breaking everything down and I had a blast hearing about a dude I didn't know existed!
That's amazing! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Hopefully it kickstarts your interest in hockey even more! Really appreciate the comment!
Great video overall. Don't know if you've payed attention to Alex Holtz on the devils, being stuck on the 4th line. If you have watched him, would you say that these situations are similar?
Cuz he plays against the other teams bottom 6… 👏👏👏
I was wondering why you skipped over Matthew Tkachuk for Elias Petterson, then i saw ur Channel name LOL
Haha it wasn't intentional. I didn't want to repeat each name until we got down to Sprong so I skipped a bunch of names, not just Tkachuk (I'm actually a big Tkachuk fan lmao)
He is great, don't know why the Kraken let him go. Good observation on his poor defensive play, but a guy with that talent and skating speed can learn how to be better on defence. A real find for the Red Wings.
When he was a free agent in the off season he was on my radar for the wings. He had 21 goals with limited minutes in Seattle. Then of course free agncey comes and Yzerman sighs him 😂 I was happy and he’s played so well.
We got him now … Vancouver Bound
Dude plays in the NHL like it’s beer league
Because his one way play...with sheltered minutes of offensive starts greater than defensive hes trash...a reason he played for 6 teams in 9 seasons...but make more content over 900k signings
I hope he does this was an interesting video
Hes efficient against 4rth liners...
as a wings fan, just by reading the title of the video, i said out loud "because his defense sucks"
I've been in love with Sprong's offensive game for about 4 years now, really happy to see him get one of these types of videos even if it does showcase how bad his defensive game can be lol.
That's so weird? Experts always say that you're able to teach defense much easier than offense. I guess this is a fringe case!
I wish yzerman signed him for longer
Unsurprising seeing as hes on his 5th team already at 26 years old and when you consider his scouting reports have read like this since before he was in the league "While Sprong has shown he is probably one of the biggest offensive threats in this years draft, arrogance and self-importance have brought up as some questionable personality traits for this youngster"
Also this Per The Athletic: "His teammates weren’t particularly enamored with his personality after Sprong was drafted in the second round in 2015. In fact, he was forced to take an Uber from his Pittsburgh hotel to training camp in Cranberry Township on a daily basis in 2015 because some of his veteran teammates didn’t take kindly to him."
Seems like he could be a really good player with a little more maturity and discipline in the defensive zone.
Great video. This is the hockey content I love to see. Keep it up! :)
I knew nothing of Sprong until he was picked up by Seattle. Then he started scoring. It was insane. Next season, I thought they would keep him, and surprised they let him walk.
He's an exciting forward to watch. But, I have to keep reminding a buddy of mine why they can't push him up in the lineup. If he ever got in a chance to work on his defense, dude would easily be in the top 6.
He’s on Canucks now
When I saw the picture of Spronger laying on the ice after making a big play I thought "Where have I seen this before?" Then I remembered the movie MIRACLE-
Almost identical picture of Rob McClanahan smiling and laying on the ice right after making the pass to Mike Eruzioni. 1980 Lake Placid... USA!
I watched him with the wings. He can't score against top 6 forwards. He must be sheltered. He also dissappear in tight games.
3:02 is an absolute CANNON. literally.
I was devastated when the caps traded Sprong, I’m glad he’s doing well in Detroit
Also, pretty crazy that Edmonton has 4 guys on that stat list lol
Loved him in Seattle but yeah those defensive issues are BAD. Gotta love that depth scoring though.
Awesome analysis. As a Red Wings fan, I want him in the team next season, but his cap hit can't be higher than it is now.
Spring is a offensive Dutch machine
awesome like the 60 min chart..good part is defense can be taught,,,bad part lazy hard to fix..thanks for this
and this is why you can't take advanced stats too seriously. He does have a great shot but saying he has one of the best is insane. That's why stats can be misleading. No doubt Sprong is good offensively, but it's not lke he would be an 80+ points player if he played top line minutes.
This was eye opening as a Wings fan how ineffective he is on defense. It's sad too because it looks like at least some of that issue could be solved with a little defensive effort, but it doesn't seem to be there
Anyone who has listened to the Jeff Marek show or 32 thoughts knows about Sprong because hipster Marek wouldn't shut up about him...
The way Sprong has been treated in his career is like he couldn't stop sleeping with the coach's wife. Either he has horrible breath, a personality like sandpaper, or the discipline of a 2 year old brat. Stats like his SHOULD speak for themselves. He's a -2 plus/minus career wise in 344 total NHL games, with a career 11.8% SP. Played a bit for Pittsburgh, Anaheim and Washington, but his 6th team in 10 years suggests he's a locker room cancer. Can't believe the Canuks got him so cheap.
The thing ill never get is how coaches are ok with putting guys out that produce no offense and slighlty above average defensive stats. But then refuse to put a guy out with extremly good offensive stats even if he is bad in the D zone. For example Ryan Reaves is terrible but teams want him. Nobody seems to want sprong despite how effective he is. Same with Holtz in NJ, Ruff would rather play Brendan Smith at forward who creates nothing over a guy like Holtz who can create
I will always be pissed. We got rid of Sprong Geekie and Donato. We could’ve 1000% made the playoffs again last year.
Stevie Y building the wings deep
As a Ranger fan, I don’t know who this guy is, but I do know who Potvin is…And he sucks ☠️☠️
very interesting. He's a very niche player. nowadays the best skilled offensive players are also solid defensively.
Incorrect, it’s a heavily biased and unreliable measure; literally depending on your linemates and when/how you get used (like who you play against or how much powerplays you are on) will vastly alter your stats.
With Larkin out for two weeks, the Wings are going to need him to step up.
I bought a penguins sprong sweater... cant say it got much use =o(
I wish they just let him loose but he does suck defensively and coaches just feel like they can't trust him. I think he could have learned a lot playing behind phil the thrill.
several players were like that before. if you want more time in the top 6 role! You must work on your weakness. #91 could be a Zack Hyman if the coach did work with his weakness! Ultimately its the players mindset and choice. oh shit why do i have to play defense? Alexander G comes to mind all!
Aha! Well, i finally got on the Yzerwagon and i was at one of those games. While i was explaining the game of hockey to my child, i kept stopping midsentence trying to figure out what #SPRONG! was doing. Plus plus Minus equals Zero
I hope that doesn't end up happening with Demidov. So much is being said about his offensive creativity. But I've heard nothing of his defense. Fingers crossed.
you just gained a subscriber! great analysis, video style, pacing, and everything between. Looking forward to seeing more!
i hope Tocchet and the Canucks staff can help him improve in the defensive zone. his stock would greatly increaase.
Same logic applies for Pastrnak's game. He's not there to make any defense moves. Plenty of times making turnovers or just neglecting to cover opponents on the blue line. Which he makes up for by scoring multiple goals.
I wouldn’t necessarily call points per 60 “one of the most objectively telling stats” because it has quite a few flaws of its own. Great video regardless.
When you said he wasn't good defensively, I thought: "how bad could it be?" ...I've seen better defensive efforts at pick up skates
In my opinion Matheson is the defensman version of Sprong. He really was solid points per 60 wise but never got the chance (until now) and is horrible defensively.
Every parent should show this to their kids. teach them to play real hockey not this half ass garbage. Won't be in the league in 3 years. Too many guys that compete. Talent doesn't mean crap if you don't have heart. He has zero heart.
Beter defence skills and he would play every game 17 or 18 min.....still proud being dutch
5:50 that whole sequence is just rigged.
Bro will go down as a GOAT 4th liner, hes the only 4th liner i can think of besides cal clutterbuk lol
Holy shit bro it took you 5 years to get to the point. Good video tho
Sprong is a 50 plus goal scorer waiting to happen..it will do the RedWings justice to put a couple of zeros in his account now before he hits free agency
Sprong is what we call “all tools, but no toolbox”. He has incredible talent, but is a combination of too lazy and too dull to properly play as a top 6 forward.
And he has elite sty with the tinted visor
wings fan here - been a joy to watch sprong this season
2:42 Matthews not being on this list proves how these stats make no sense.
Can this cat change his stripes after all these years? The Canucks are going to find out in 24/25...