Confirmed Signing with Link: [VAN] F Daniel Sprong signs with the Canucks (1 year, $975k)

[MMC]

I’m going to go on a limb and say he plays better in a better system with better players and good coach and not whatever random trash he played for during his time in Anaheim.

Cool, I’ll go out on a limb and say you’ll end up as disappointed as the other 5 fanbases who thought they were getting something good with Sprong

 

[AcerComputer]

I get internal competition and am all for it. The Leafs have at least 17 F competing for 12 spots. I don't think we need to add Sprong to this mix.

I am good with Robertson battling Cowan, Steeves, Grebyonkin, Holmberg and Reaves for ice time. I also hope Robertson shows enough to get a long look during the season this year.

I hear ya, but if you can get a free wallet, why turn it down?

 

[tantalum]

I don't see it as top heavy at all quite the opposite. We have an entire forward group minus Teddy that has or can score 20 goals, that is an insane amount of depth. Where I see a question mark at least until Lekkerimakki is ready is the lack of one more preferably Two,bonafide top six wingers.
I think there's a very good chance Heinen becomes a burrows type but only Brock and Debrusk or proven top six wingers. But that's ok because we have so much depth.

I see it as top heavy because of all the question marks in the bottom half of the lineup. Many have played at a higher than expected level and could drop down to earth OR establish that they are that player. That's what I was meaning.

 

[Three On Zero]

Oh it's you again.

6 time 30+ goal scorer vs. 1 time 20+ goal scorer. Hmm, I wonder why one gets paid 3 times as much.

Nashville got a steal of a deal at $8 million for a 60 goal scorer with that logic

 

[ellusive]

I know he has defensive issues but how does a guy with back to back 40s pts season didn’t even get 1m

Chef Allvin strikes again

Play him with Suter or EP if you want to cover his weakness

Putting up a point then next play turning it over to get scored against... Not a whole lot of value

 

[Three On Zero]

Putting up a point then next play turning it over to get scored against... Not a whole lot of value

He seems he make quite a few boneheaded/no effort defensive lapses.


It’s a terrible stat to use but I am curious how he’s a career -2 in +/-, when you watch him play you expect it to be much worse

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

Oh it's you again.

6 time 30+ goal scorer vs. 1 time 20+ goal scorer. Hmm, I wonder why one gets paid 3 times as much.

I mean Skinner gets top six minutes, pp1 time and overall more minutes.
TBF to Skinner that shows he's obviously trusted more by coaches but pound for pound especially with the AAV, Spring is better bang for the buck and is far more consistent.

Plus Skinner can't be waived and cost nothing on the cap, nor does he need to be in the top six. Skinner has to be in the top six and get fed while Spring can create his own offense playing on the fourth line.

 

[BCNate]

Sprong will play sheltered minutes and 2nd unit PP. He gives us another legit scoring threat at under a million.

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

Cool, I’ll go out on a limb and say you’ll end up as disappointed as the other 5 fanbases who thought they were getting something good with Sprong

I don't see a lot of wings or Kraken fans saying they were disappointed.
I've seen a lot fans from ex teams saying for 975K for a a guy that can score 20 goals and 40 points from the 4th line in 12 minutes, they would gladly have him back.

Here's the way I see his impact defensively. He's not great obviously but on the wings he generated most of the offense on the fourth line and unless he was the reason for basically most goals against which obviously wouldn't be the case, him only being a minus two on a not so good defensive team with poor goaltending, it tells me he his lack of D doesn't supercede his offense.

If he can put up similar offensive totals on a much better defensive team with a vezina calibre goalie, I'll bet his metrics will look a lot better.
He's likely playing with two forwards in Sherwood and either Blueger or Suter, all excellent defensively, combined with a goalie who seldom gets beat by 4th liners.

If he does play like shit we simply waive him with zero cap penalty

 

[CupofOil]

I mean Skinner gets top six minutes, pp1 time and overall more minutes.
TBF to Skinner that shows he's obviously trusted more by coaches but pound for pound especially with the AAV, Spring is better bang for the buck and is far more consistent.

Plus Skinner can't be waived and cost nothing on the cap, nor does he need to be in the top six. Skinner has to be in the top six and get fed while Spring can create his own offense playing on the fourth line.

Sprong is far more consistent than Jeff Skinner?
I mean, whatever makes you guys feel better about it. As I said, one guy is a perennial 30+ goal scorer while the other barely cracked 20 once. There's a reason why he gets 3 times as much. Skinner has gotten more opportunity throughout his career because he's a better player, it's as simple as that.

Why is Skinner even being brought up at all anyway? What does an Edmonton Oiler have to do with a Vancouver Canucks signing?
I actually think this is a solid signing for the Canucks, I just don't see how Jeff Skinner is comparable to Sprong as if the players are even close in value.

Nashville got a steal of a deal at $8 million for a 60 goal scorer with that logic

Ummm, huh?
Jeff Skinner scored 35 goals two seasons ago and 33 the season prior. Stamkos scored 60 goals 13 years ago. Swing and a miss again Three.

 

[Bankerguy]

Ummm, huh?
Jeff Skinner scored 35 goals two seasons ago and 33 the season prior. Stamkos scored 60 goals 13 years ago. Swing and a miss again Three.

his point made sense.
try stepping away from your bias and read again.

 

[CupofOil]

his point made sense.
try stepping away from your bias and read again.

Steven Stamkos scored 60 goals 13 years ago
Jeff Skinner scored 30+ 2 seasons ago.
It makes no sense, as per usual.

Skinner scored 30+ goals 6 times in his career including 2 recent seasons
Sprong scored 20+ once in his career
Therefore, Skinner gets paid 3 times as much on a 1 year deal. Seems logical to me to anybody without homer glasses on.

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

Sprong is far more consistent than Jeff Skinner?
I mean, whatever makes you guys feel better about it. As I said, one guy is a perennial 30+ goal scorer while the other barely cracked 20 once. There's a reason why he gets 3 times as much. Skinner has gotten more opportunity throughout his career because he's a better player, it's as simple as that.

Why is Skinner even being brought up at all anyway? What does an Edmonton Oiler have to do with a Vancouver Canucks signing?

Go take a look at Skinner over his career, there's a reason a team with tons of cap got rid of him. He hasnt just had cold streaks in season, he's literally had entire seasons where he sucked.

Again to be fair I shouldn't have said Sprong has been more consistent without saying the sample size is small because he's really only played a meaningful amount of games a handful of times but in the four seasons he played at least a half a season he's had 14 in 47, 13 in 42, 21 in 66 and 18 in 76 with the last two getting more assists than goals as well. While playing 1307, 1406, 1125 and 1205 minutes.
Skinner plays between 16-18 minutes a game. I hate extrapolating but Sprong has been more effective based on minutes and if he was given Skinners role would likely score a lot more goals.

I think a guy like Sprong makes way more sense on the oilers over Skinner, since you guys have an excellent top six but lack much depth scoring and that's always been an issue since your teams record when McDrai don't combine for 3+ points has been pretty abysmal.

 

[Three On Zero]

Go take a look at Skinner over his career, there's a reason a team with tons of cap got rid of him. He hasnt just had cold streaks in season, he's literally had entire seasons where he sucked.

Again to be fair I shouldn't have said Sprong has been more consistent without saying the sample size is small because he's really only played a meaningful amount of games a handful of times but in the four seasons he played at least a half a season he's had 14 in 47, 13 in 42, 21 in 66 and 18 in 76 with the last two getting more assists than goals as well. While playing 1307, 1406, 1125 and 1205 minutes.
Skinner plays between 16-18 minutes a game. I hate extrapolating but Sprong has been more effective based on minutes and if he was given Skinners role would likely score a lot more goals.

I think a guy like Sprong makes way more sense on the oilers over Skinner, since you guys have an excellent top six but lack much depth scoring and that's always been an issue since your teams record when McDrai don't combine for 3+ points has been pretty abysmal.

Don’t fall into the goal post moving posts. This was never about the players during their entire career, it’s about the players they are now.

Both have huge coaching/defensive deficiencies. Skinner was bought out due to these issues and Sprong hasn’t been given a longer term opportunity for it.

Skinner had 24/22 for 46 points last season averaging 17 minutes
Sprong had 18/25 for 43 points last season averaging 12 minutes.

These are two very comparable players going into next season. Of course Skinner has had a better career but again, that’s not what this is about.

 

[biturbo19]

I suspect he's maybe not a popular locker room guy or something, because his on ice play suggests he's worth way more than he consistently earns.

Dude is a dynamic shooting threat that can create on his own, exactly what you want in a depth scoring winger.

There's always been rumors that seem to dog him wherever he goes, right back through Jrs about having a bit of an "entitled attitude" and "selfishness" that i could certainly see teammates not being all that fond of.


But i think the bigger factor is ultimately just that...Teams typically don't like their "depth wingers" to be of the defensive liability "scoring winger" offensive-minded variety. They tend to prefer guys who can chip in a bit, but primarily just not be a huge liability that causes headaches in the matchup game trying to shelter at all costs. Guys who can contribute defensively, without the puck, as well as on the PK for instance, or in bringing some real energy and physicality and grit in their limited minutes. To make an impact that way, and let the better, more well-rounded Top-6/9 Forwards handle more of the productive element.

Coaches like "low maintenance" depth forwards for a reason. In that it allows them to focus their gameplan and bench management around their best players, rather than a depth guy that they're trying to play peekaboo with against opposing 4th lines/3rd pairs vs Top Scorers. It just takes away leverage and ties one hand behind the coaches back, when their deathly afraid of their "depth scoring winger" getting caught out there against an opposing top line.

 

[Bankerguy]

Steven Stamkos scored 60 goals 13 years ago
Jeff Skinner scored 30+ 2 seasons ago.
It makes no sense, as per usual.

Skinner scored 30+ goals 6 times in his career including 2 recent seasons
Sprong scored 20+ once in his career
Therefore, Skinner gets paid 3 times as much on a 1 year deal. Seems logical to me to anybody without homer glasses on.

Yeah but you're framing this a very specific way "Sprong scored 20 goals ONCE" with no mention of age or when he scored it.
Sprong is coming off a 21 goal and then 18 goal season in his last two years and is only 27 years old. Skinner is 32 years old and goal scoring decreased from 35 to 24.
1 year at 3 million isnt equivalent bang for buck compared to 1 year at $975k

 

[Ezekial]

It doesn't actually... It adds more confusion.


But there is obviously a part of his game that teams really dislike about him... Whether it's off ice or defensively or other.. who really knows

People who watch him play know, he's a puckwatcher with no defensive awareness.

 

[CupofOil]

Don’t fall into the goal post moving posts. This was never about the players during their entire career, it’s about the players they are now.

Both have huge coaching/defensive deficiencies. Skinner was bought out due to these issues and Sprong hasn’t been given a longer term opportunity for it.

Skinner had 24/22 for 46 points last season averaging 17 minutes
Sprong had 18/25 for 43 points last season averaging 12 minutes.

These are two very comparable players going into next season. Of course Skinner has had a better career but again, that’s not what this is about.

Skinner scored 68 goals the 2 seasons before last season, like very recently in his career, it's not like he's a 30+ goal scorer from many years ago. His "down" season was 24 goals right after a 35 goal season, Sprong's best was 21 then followed it up with 18.. Skinner had multiple suitors on Free Agency Day while Sprong didn't have any until July 20th. They aren't comparables.

You are the king of goal moving posts in general but most recently as evidenced by your absurd Stamkos analogy when I stated that Skinner had six 30+ goal seasons including just 2 years ago by referencing Stamkos's 60 goal season from 13 years ago. You know how ridiculous the analogy or you're just being purposely dense.

I think it's a nice signing for Vancouver but don't compare Skinner to Sprong.

 

[Three On Zero]

Skinner scored 68 goals the 2 seasons before last season, like very recently in his career, it's not like he's a 30+ goal scorer from many years ago. His "down" season was 24 goals, Sprong's best was 21.
You are the king of goal moving posts in general but most recently as evidenced by your absurd Stamkos analogy when I stated that Skinner had six 30+ goal seasons including just 2 years ago by referencing Stamkos's 60 goal season from 13 years ago. You know how ridiculous the analogy or you're just being purposely dense.

Those goal posts have been moved so far that they aren’t even on the same field anymore. Referencing Skinners past seasons is about as relevant as referencing Stamkos’s past seasons. Neither are relevant to this conversation.

This is a discussion about players whom have signed new contracts this season relative to how they performed the season prior and the issues that got them where they are. If you’d like a better opinion on Skinner rather than his shortcoming, perhaps HFOil is a better sub-forum for that.

 

[CupofOil]

Those goal posts have been moved so far that they aren’t even on the same field anymore. Referencing Skinners past seasons is about as relevant as referencing Stamkos’s past seasons. Neither are relevant to this conversation.

This is a discussion about players whom have signed new contracts this season relative to how they performed the season prior and the issues that got them where they are.

Skinner's last 30+ goal season was 2 years ago, 35 to be exact, while Stamkos's 60 goal season was 13 years ago. How are not getting this inconsistency in your argument? 13 years ago is a lot longer than 2 just to reiterate.
Contracts are not based on one season btw, it's based on a body of work in addition to the prior season. When you have 33, 35 and 24 goals in your last 3 seasons you're going to get paid a good deal more than a guy that got 14, 21 and 18 in his previous 3.

 

[Three On Zero]

Skinner's last 30+ goal season was 2 years ago, 35 to be exact, while Stamkos's was 13 years ago. How are not getting this inconsistency in your argument. 13 years ago is a lot longer than 2 just to reiterate.

And neither is relevant to the discussion.

 

[CupofOil]

And neither is relevant to the discussion.

You're the one that brought up the Skinner contact and I replied to the ridiculous assertion, you made it relevant.
And you're still not seeing the inconsistency in your argument. You're just being difficult for whatever reason and I probably should have known better than to engage in it.

 

[Three On Zero]

You're the one that brought up the Skinner contact and I replied to the ridiculous assertion, you made it relevant.
And you're still not seeing the inconsistency in your argument. You're just being difficult for whatever reason and I probably should have known better than to engage in it.

Two players with similar production and similar issues. No inconsistency in that

 

[CupofOil]

Two players with similar production and similar issues. No inconsistency in that

Ok, I'll bite one more time. 92 goals the last 3 seasons compared to 53 goals the last 3 seasons is not similar production and, yes, contracts are not based on one season of production, it's silly to even think that.

 

[Three On Zero]

Ok, I'll bite one more time. 92 goals the last 3 seasons compared to 53 goals the last 3 seasons is not similar production and, yes, contracts are not based on one season of production, it's silly to even think that.

46 points vs. 43 points. While having the same coaching/defensive issues.

The topic was always comparing them from last season relative to what they got, no need to keep trying to skew that. If that conversation doesn’t tickle your fancy, perhaps don’t reply or just stick to HFOil?

Skinner has had a better career, but this isn’t comparing careers.