Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
According to CapFriendly, the Seattle Kraken signed former Washington Capitals and unrestricted free agent right-wing Daniel Sprong to a professional tryout on Tuesday after declining to tender the 25-year-old a qualifying offer on July 11 before he was set to become a restricted free agent.
The following players have been signed to professional tryouts (PTO) today.#Arizona – Christopher Gibson (G)#LAKings – Nate Thompson (F)#Seattle – Daniel Sprong (F)https://t.co/4enJBMojUK
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) September 13, 2022
Sprong tallied eight goals and 14 points in 47 games with the Capitals before being dealt to Seattle as part of the trade that sent right-wing Marcus Johansson to Washington on March 21. After the deal, Sprong notched six goals and 16 games but was a healthy scratch three times.
Sprong was expected to see a bigger role in Washington last season after setting career-highs in points (20) and coming within just one goal of his career-high 14 (set in 47 games with the Anaheim Ducks in 2018-19) in just 42 games two seasons ago.
However, the Capitals benched him throughout the season before trading him and Sprong played just three of the team’s five postseason games in 2021.
In 202 career regular-season games with the Kraken, Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, and Pittsburgh Penguins, he has earned 46 goals and 70 points.
The Capitals acquired Sprong from the Ducks on February 24, 2020 in a deal that sent defenseman Christian Djoos to Southern California.
By Harrison Brown
Amazing how he has hot rock bottom.
Defense Daniel, Defense!
I like Spronger. He has legit goal-scoring skills. He just has to find the right situation. He’s just not a particularly effective defense player. He tries but he really isn’t a factor defensively. If he’s not scoring he’s not really helping the team. And he’s not a playmaker. I can see why NHL teams are passing on him. But maybe there’s a team that has a lot of good defensive players and can afford to let Sprong loose. Nashville? Dallas?
PTO is the end of the line usually. I’d like to see him become a 30 goal scorer someplace.
This guy has KHL written all over him.