The Detroit Red Wings might be forced to move on from Daniel Sprong.
Daniel Sprong quickly became an anomaly for the Detroit Red Wings last season. The 27-year-old recorded 18 goals and 43 points, playing predominantly on Detroit's fourth line.
The problem? Sprong quickly proved to be a defensive liability, something far too familiar for many of the Red Wings' wingers. You will find way too many one-dimensional wingers when you scan through Detroit's roster. Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane, Robby Fabbri, Joe Veleno, and Sprong all play a relatively light game and struggle in their own zone for the most part. Veleno plays on the wing or center, and he's the group's best two-way player, but he quickly found himself in head coach Derek Lalonde's dog house late last season.
I love the offensive production Sprong brings to the lineup, and his ability to contribute while playing fourth-line minutes makes him a very unique player. Sprong averaged 12 minutes per game even last season and maintained a Corsi For Percentage of 46.4. His Relative Corsi For Percentage during even strength situations came in at -0.3, which ranks the fourth-worst of his eight-year career.
Most of us would welcome Sprong back with open arms if he's willing to return on a short-term deal for the $2 million or perhaps a slight raise next season. If Sprong and his representation are hoping to double his salary after back-to-back productive seasons, he's someone the Detroit Red Wings simply need to walk away from. Detroit can look to replace his offense with someone within, like Marco Kasper or Jonatan Berggren, or test the free-agent market. If Yzerman elects to go the free-agent route, I hope he lands a fourth-line grinder type that can change the game's momentum with some physical play.