The 2024 NHL Free Agent frenzy certainly lived up to its name. We had a ton of action on July 1st this year. According to capfriendly.com, there were 190 signings and over $1 billion spent on free agents on the first day alone of free agency. One team who didn’t do much spending, however, was the Montreal Canadiens. While they did take care of one important piece of business signing forward Juraj Slafkovsky to a new deal, the Canadiens only other move was signing Alex Barre-Boulet to a one-year deal. The Canadiens were not expected to go big game hunting in free agency this year. Furthermore, it was suspected that any roster additions were expected to come through trades. General Manager Kent Hughes certainly has some irons in the fire. However, if he strikes out on the trade market, there is an enticing piece still available as a free agent. His name is Daniel Sprong.
Daniel Sprong Could Provide the Canadiens with the Scoring They Need
When thinking about the Canadiens needs, the very first thing that comes to mind is goal scoring. Daniel Sprong can certainly do that. Over the last two seasons while playing with the Seattle Kraken and Detroit Red Wings, Sprong recorded 39 goals and 89 points in 142 games. Nine of those goals came on the power play along with 26 points and four of the goals were game winners. This was achieved while averaging less than 12 minutes of ice time per game. That rate of scoring is simply impressive. No one can deny his ability to put the puck in the net, which the Canadiens desperately need. Not only is Sprong a great goal scorer, he is an excellent skater, with decisive speed and an exceptional set of hands. He is also a very capable playmaker. Of his 25 assists last season, 14 of them were primary.
Sprong has all the offensive tools to help jump-start the Canadiens’ secondary scoring. He has proven to be able to do this with limit minutes. Therefore, whether Head Coach Martin St. Louis would want to play him next to Kirby Dach on the second line, or a newly formed third line, Sprong will find a way to spark the offence.
Improving the Power Play
The addition of Sprong drastically improves the offence. One major way would be on the power play. As mentioned, Sprong has nine goals and 26 points on the power play over the last two seasons. The way Sprong is utilized is reminiscent of Cole Caufield. On the off-wing and looking for a one-timer. Sprong’s shot is exceptional and he can get it off quickly. However, if it’s not there, he also has strong hockey IQ and playmaking abilities. This allows him to make that extra pass to an open player to score instead of constantly forcing the shot. He’s not just a one-trick pony. Which makes him very dangerous.
Cost to Land Daniel Sprong
Another reason why the Canadiens should target Sprong is he is a low-cost option for the amount of offence he can provide. According to the contract projection calculator from evolving-hockey.com, Sprong is projected to come in at a cap hit of just $3.378 million per season. Whether the Canadiens would like to trial him for a year or sign a multiyear deal, Sprong would certainly earn every penny of that deal. At just 27 years old, Sprong fits into the Canadiens game plan now, as well as in the future.
Hughes Should Extend an Offer to Sprong
Again, it’s no secret the Canadiens are in desperate need of offence. While there are a number of young players they have been in talks of acquiring via trade, they need to have a contingency plan in place. Sprong would certainly be a solid plan B. Given what it will likely cost to acquire him and his ability to play up and down the lineup and still provide high-end offence, he should be looked at on top of anyone else they acquire. Whether they decide to have him as a stop-gap until players like Ivan Demidov and Owen Beck make the jump or keep him long-term would be up to them. However, he should certainly be a target of Kent Hughes as the offseason continues.
