Detroit Red Wings sign Daniel Sprong; continue adding to forward core
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Red Wings have continued their string of free-agency signings. They were active early on, bringing in some new faces to help round out the team ahead of the 2023-24 season. One of the signings that piqued my interest was the addition of Daniel Sprong.
The Detroit Red Wings went out and signed Daniel Sprong to a one-year deal for a value of $2 million. They scooped him up from the Seattle Kraken after spending parts of the last two seasons out west.
The 26-year-old forward is a right-handed shooting winger who will be on an interesting deal. It’s not a bigger deal like Tyler Bertuzzi in Toronto, where it’s a clear-cut prove-me contract. But Sprong seems like a player who could easily earn a cheap three-year extension if things go well.
The Red Wings brought him in to add some depth ahead of this season, and Sprong could be someone they find value from as things continue down the line. He had a career year last season, which leaves me skeptical, but I’m also not expecting some big-time performance from him.
Detroit Red Wings sign Daniel Sprong for a one-year deal.
Sprong is fresh off of the 2022-23 season, where he played in 66 games, scoring 21 goals and adding 25 assists for 46 total points for the Kraken. They’re betting on him being a Plug’n’Play forward in the bottom six that can find the back of the net and add some offense.
He may not be the biggest name out there, but he could wind up being extremely effective for the Red Wings if things go well. One of the common things mentioned when it comes to Sprong is his ability to be effective in small samples offensively.
Sprong leaves room for improvement in the defensive zone, but overall has proven that he can be a scorer. So, if the Red Wings can employ him in a similar role as Seattle, there may be room for him to earn an extension and carve out a niche in the bottom six.
The contract is a cheap and efficient one. From the early looks of it, the team may have found themselves a diamond in the rough when it comes to Sprong. There’s hope for him to be someone the team can keep around, even though he’s on a one-year contract for 2023-24.
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Keep an eye on Sprong this season as the Red Wings aim to slot him into some low-leverage offensive minutes.