The Canucks have potentially signed this year’s best contract on free agency with Daniel Sprong at a meagre cost; the potential versus cost ratio is unmatched.

At this point, everybody is wondering, if he’s that good of a player, why wasn’t he signed before, and why were the Canucks able to sign him to so minimal contract? Well-known by the Canucks’ management group, as they were the ones to give him his first NHL opportunity back in Pittsburgh, Allvin first addressed how he viewed Sprong’s progression and the value he brings to the club:

“Bringing in another solid winger will be a boost for our club this season,” said Canucks GM Patrik Allvin in a press statement. “Daniel has matured a lot as a player and has shown he can contribute offensively when called upon. His addition up front will give us better depth and should help with more balanced scoring throughout our forward group.”

Here comes the catch: according to Rob Simpson, best known for his detailed coverage of the Seattle Kraken, who Sprong played for during the 2022-2023 campaign, the Dutchmen is not rumoured to be a team-friendly type of guy:

“Rumour has it he’s not the best guy in the room. Whether that concept regarding chemistry is true remains to be seen for a Canucks dressing room that will do its best to acclimate the 27-year-old native of the Netherlands.”

It’ll be interesting to see how he adapts to his new reality with the Canucks; for now, it feels like trusting Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford with their management is the right way to go. Especially since the Canucks have one of the best up-and-coming leadership groups in the league, with Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller and Thatcher Demko making sure everyone is held accountable.

Throughout his career, Sprong has found ways to be an effective offensive winger. However, his defensive skills haven’t been up to NHL standards, and that’s why, despite his elevated production, he’s only managed to sign near-league entry deals on one-year terms. The thing is, Sprong has never played for Rick Tocchet; if the Canucks can make a responsible two-way player out of him, they may have a monster on their hands.