The Duke Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 32 minutes ago, canucks curse said: everyone just loves tocchet right now, he is so hot, hot hot hot hot hot Rick Tocchet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Coconuts Posted July 23 Popular Post Share Posted July 23 43 minutes ago, Rip The Mesh said: Puts a bit of a damper on the whole him not being a Tochett player bit 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canucks curse Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 it sounds like a few things that support how awesome, detailed and accurate our pro scouting is: Sprong - trending up past 2 seasons playing good hockey - high shot volume player (what did we lack in playoffs...shots shots shots) - speed - coaching and management said we need more of -transition play - we lack this- spring has scored a to of goals off the transition - motivated and hungry and set up for a break out year ... sound familiar - Joshua, Heiden, DeBrusk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canucks curse Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 4 minutes ago, Coconuts said: Puts a bit of a damper on the whole him not being a Tochett player bit agree, it sounds like he has just been trying to up his value based on points and so maybe developed a bad rap now it sounds like they just want him to relax into a good situation and use his speed and transition game to help generate shots and that he will play with a defensively reliable C and try to just be a bit more solid omg the D side 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Kneel Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 (edited) I think a package could be made to trade some of our extra defenseman, like Woo Wolanin and Brisboise. Add a Aman or PDG. Get a 3rd for one each of a dman and a forward. Great depth for some teams. Move some extra contracts out. Making room for when Poolman's contract goes to ltir. Get a lower cost yet effective blueliner. Or as part of a trade? ps fk Benning fk Gillis fk OEL fk Messier and fk Green. Edited July 23 by Hairy Kneel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
112 Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 I'm still not convinced the Canucks actually signed this guy. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaimito Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 8 hours ago, HarbularyBattery said: just popped in here to say that Benning was the greatest of all time 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Face Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 1 hour ago, Hairy Kneel said: I think a package could be made to trade some of our extra defenseman, like Woo Wolanin and Brisboise. Add a Aman or PDG. Get a 3rd for one each of a dman and a forward. Great depth for some teams. Move some extra contracts out. Making room for when Poolman's contract goes to ltir. Get a lower cost yet effective blueliner. Or as part of a trade? ps fk Benning fk Gillis fk OEL fk Messier and fk Green. Did you forget someone as AntonyG???? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post -dlc- Posted July 23 Popular Post Share Posted July 23 Just saw an interview with him on Global news. Will work on the defensive side of things, is excited to be here. Has been in touch with Petey (went on vacation?). Knows Debrusk. Soucy. Think we have a(nother) winner here. 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gawdzukes Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 1 hour ago, Coconuts said: Puts a bit of a damper on the whole him not being a Tochett player bit S p r o n g ... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Rip The Mesh Posted July 23 Popular Post Share Posted July 23 Coming off back-to-back 40+ point seasons, Daniel Sprong was not expecting to be sitting at home in mid-July, still an unrestricted free agent. Sprong may not have been in the first tier of scoring wingers available on the market but he could have reasonably expected teams to start calling once they struck out on the likes of Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, and Tyler Toffoli. After all, he actually had three more points last season than the Canucks’ prized free agent acquisition, Jake DeBrusk, who signed a seven-year deal worth $5.5 million per year. But despite conversations with a few teams, nothing materialized. “It was a little hectic the first two days,” said Sprong on Monday. “I think my camp and I had an idea of what we were looking for and that kind of didn’t really happen on the first two days. In the business, you want to be off the market the first couple of days; after that, it quiets down.” This isn’t how his free agency was supposed to go. Contract projections predicted a contract for Sprong worth $3-4 million per year but it wasn’t just about the money. After playing for five different teams over the last six seasons, Sprong was hoping he could find a long-term home. Instead, Sprong put pen to paper on a discount deal for just one year, signing with the Vancouver Canucks for $975,000. But again, money wasn’t the key issue. “Things kind of took a turn and I just thought the biggest thing was for me to be in a situation where I could be happy and would be a good opportunity for me,” said Sprong. That’s the key for Sprong: opportunity. "The decision was a no-brainer" Despite scoring like a top-six forward over the past two seasons, Sprong wasn’t deployed like one. Instead, he played sheltered minutes largely in a fourth-line role for both the Seattle Kraken and Detroit Red Wings. For Sprong, Vancouver represents not only an opportunity to potentially play in the top-six with some elite linemates but also the opportunity to improve his game so that he can earn those minutes. That’s because Sprong’s conversations with the Canucks weren’t just about money and term but about who he is as a player, where he needs to get better, and where he could fit on the Canucks if he does the work. “I know I’ve got some things to work on and we talked about that and how they’re going to help me and the opportunities that are going to present themselves,” said Sprong. “I have an idea where they see me but, at the end of the day, I’m going to have to play the right way and produce and, when I get the opportunity, I’ve got to take it.” Sprong said one phone call with his future head coach Rick Tocchet “pretty much” made up his mind on signing with the Canucks. “I talked to Vancouver and spoke to coach Tocc and we had a really good conversation on the phone,” said Sprong. “We’ve known each other — when I got drafted by Pittsburgh, I played under him when he was an assistant coach — and we had a really good talk. I felt really happy after that call and the decision was a no-brainer after that.” "My defensive game can be a little bit of a weakness" It shouldn’t come as a surprise what he and Tocchet discussed. Sprong is well aware of what area needs the most work. He knows exactly why he didn’t earn more minutes in Seattle and Detroit. “My defensive game can be a little bit of a weakness and it’s the coach’s trust in certain situations where that affects my ice time,” said Sprong. “That’s something we talked about and we’re going to work on in Vancouver to gain the trust and be reliable in those situations. "I'm working on it over the summertime to work on those details. And it's not just for myself, it's for my team as well and for the guys I'm playing with. For example, chipping out pucks and knowing the time and place of the game — not to take maybe the risk that I would take with 15 minutes left in a period but won't take with three minutes to go in the period. Those are all things we talked about. I know what I can bring to the team and what the opportunity is if I gain the trust." It will be hard work for Sprong to earn Tocchet’s trust but he knows the payoff will be worth it: a spot in the Canucks’ top-six alongside an elite playmaker like Elias Pettersson. It helps that he and Pettersson are already friends — they went on vacation together a couple of years ago — but that’s a situation any offensively-creative sniper would dream of landing in. “That’s the goal, that’s what my mindset is going into camp,” said Sprong about playing in the top-six. “That’s going to be earned and not given…If I do get that opportunity when the season starts, it’s not something that’s going to be there every single night. I’m going to have to earn it: take it game-by-game and earn the coach’s trust.” Sprong said one phone call with his future head coach Rick Tocchet “pretty much” made up his mind on signing with the Canucks. “I talked to Vancouver and spoke to coach Tocc and we had a really good conversation on the phone,” said Sprong. “We’ve known each other — when I got drafted by Pittsburgh, I played under him when he was an assistant coach — and we had a really good talk. I felt really happy after that call and the decision was a no-brainer after that.” "My defensive game can be a little bit of a weakness" It shouldn’t come as a surprise what he and Tocchet discussed. Sprong is well aware of what area needs the most work. He knows exactly why he didn’t earn more minutes in Seattle and Detroit. “My defensive game can be a little bit of a weakness and it’s the coach’s trust in certain situations where that affects my ice time,” said Sprong. “That’s something we talked about and we’re going to work on in Vancouver to gain the trust and be reliable in those situations. "I'm working on it over the summertime to work on those details. And it's not just for myself, it's for my team as well and for the guys I'm playing with. For example, chipping out pucks and knowing the time and place of the game — not to take maybe the risk that I would take with 15 minutes left in a period but won't take with three minutes to go in the period. Those are all things we talked about. I know what I can bring to the team and what the opportunity is if I gain the trust." It will be hard work for Sprong to earn Tocchet’s trust but he knows the payoff will be worth it: a spot in the Canucks’ top-six alongside an elite playmaker like Elias Pettersson. It helps that he and Pettersson are already friends — they went on vacation together a couple of years ago — but that’s a situation any offensively-creative sniper would dream of landing in. “That’s the goal, that’s what my mindset is going into camp,” said Sprong about playing in the top-six. “That’s going to be earned and not given…If I do get that opportunity when the season starts, it’s not something that’s going to be there every single night. I’m going to have to earn it: take it game-by-game and earn the coach’s trust.” "It's kind of a wake-up call" Sprong wants to prove to the Canucks that he can be that player but there’s also an element where he wants to prove himself to the rest of the NHL. He's eager to prove that all the teams who passed up on the opportunity to sign him in free agency made a mistake. “With the two years I had back-to-back, I felt pretty confident going into free agency,” said Sprong. “It’s something that caught me by surprise. I’ll be honest, it fuels me.” It’s not just that Sprong has a chip on his shoulder but the limited interest in the first few days of free agency was also a wake-up call. “I showed that I can put up numbers but there’s other parts of the game that I’ve got to improve on and maybe that’s why teams shied off or didn’t give me what I wanted,” he said. “It’s kind of a wake-up call but I think also at the same time, it’s really good motivation and adds some fuel to the fire.” But perhaps the only motivation Sprong really needs is the possibility of finding a long-term home in Vancouver. “I'm hoping Vancouver is not just a one-year thing,” said Sprong. “With the talks we had, I can see myself being there long-term and that's really what excited me.” “It’s one of my favourite cities to go on the road, with the food and the way the city is — I think it’s a beautiful city,” he added. “The season that they had last year and how much excitement there was and how much buzz there was around the city and then watching the playoff games, seeing the whole city behind them — it’s something you want to be a part of.” 6 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Duke Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 (edited) It’s nice to hear his side of things. Not getting a decent contract despite putting up numbers seems to have sent the right message to him - and he appears to be on board to work with Tocchet to shore up that side of his game. Tocc had no problem running managment’s prize signing in Kuz out of town - and it’s nice to know coach and GM are on the same page. Bodes well for getting a career year out of Sprong. Edited July 23 by The Duke 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbluefunk Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 (edited) 22 hours ago, wai_lai416 said: what are you talking about.. garland literally started the season with kuzmenko and Pettersson.. coz mikheyev was injured for four games yeeeesh whatever Edited July 23 by deepbluefunk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammertime Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 Hopefully we get the Sprong who understands his next stop will be the KHL if he doesn't buy into systems. It's obvious points aren't the problem or he would have been signed on the first day of FA for 3+m. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyCuddles Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 Always liked the idea of Sprong. His defensive issues are well known but there's something to be said about being able to produce at the NHL level with little to no ice time. If he's half as committed to the defensive side, and even being more active on the forecheck, as he says. This may be a pretty big steal of a contract. Even if just for one year. 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canucks curse Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 Out: Kuzmenko (22) Beauvellier (5) Lafferty (13) Milky (11) In: Debrusk (19) Heinen (18) Sherwood (10) Sprong (17) = faster, tougher, more goals, overall better defensively (plus all these guys coming in have something to prove, arguably hungrier) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canucks curse Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 a lot of options DeBrusk Petey Sprong Hogz Miller Boesser Joshua Bluegger Garland Heinen Suter Sherwood Podz Aman PDG Thats two first lines and two third lines probably the deepest forward group in the NHL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 3 hours ago, -dlc- said: Just saw an interview with him on Global news. Will work on the defensive side of things, is excited to be here. Has been in touch with Petey (met on vacation?). Knows Debrusk. Soucy. Think we have a(nother) winner here. Hmmm....methinks PA sort of knows what he's doing? 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Lemon Face Posted July 23 Popular Post Share Posted July 23 2 minutes ago, Ghostsof1915 said: Hmmm....methinks PA sort of knows what he's doing? Shhhhhhhh Antony G rooming around 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rypien-Punch Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 4 hours ago, Jaimito said: remember when he got fined for talking to some other teams player. how embarrassing was that! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devron Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 2 hours ago, Hammertime said: Hopefully we get the Sprong who understands his next stop will be the KHL if he doesn't buy into systems. It's obvious points aren't the problem or he would have been signed on the first day of FA for 3+m. That’s what I was trying to say. Could get cut from the team for all we know lol. But I hope he does well and comes ready for camp. We do need him to be a top 6 forward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuck73_3 Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 3 guarantees in life now, death, taxes and Anthony defending Jimbo to the death in every trade thread. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuck73_3 Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 16 hours ago, Bob Long said: I wonder if something is cooking on moving Garland? Sprong can replace his offence but sucks defensively, at least up to now. Maybe Tocc can simplify things for him like with Myers? Freeing up Garlands cap makes a lot of other significant moves possible for another top 6 or top 4 d. Zero chance they put all that work to keep the best 3rd line in the league together just to move out 1/3rd and the best player on said line. The logic just makes no sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUndaCanuck Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 Obviously great signing, having a 10-20 goal scorer, 40 point scorer for under a mil is outrageous considering Garland isn't much better and costs 5 times as much. Rick's going to have a lot of options and obviously blend our lines throughout the year, but here's a nice example of a lineup: Heinen - Miller - Boeser DeBrusk - Pettersson - Hoglander Joshua - Blueger - Garland Sherwood - Suter - Sprong Podkolzin PDG That's some unreal depth there. Exciting to have such a deep forward group which was our weakness in the last playoffs. Our defence is going to suck but maybe the coaching staff will use the forwards more defensively (tighter gaps, helping out more tracking back) to support them. Having 40 point scorers on your 4th line is pretty wild, along with one of the best chemistry 3rd lines in the league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LillStrimma Posted July 23 Share Posted July 23 39 minutes ago, canuck73_3 said: 3 guarantees in life now, death, taxes and Anthony defending Jimbo to the death in every trade thread. Well, you were one of those defending Jimbo back in the days when I was in the same position as Anthony is now. I was blocked, picked on etc… But I talked about how bad Benning was. Do you understand nowadays what I was talking about back then? Or is your mind still stuck with Dahlen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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