Kraken takes another shot with a natural shooter

When last seen in a Kraken uniform, right winger Daniel Sprong was scoring 21 goals for a playoff-bound team, arguably the best fourth in the NHL.

Now, more than a year after leaving the Kraken as a free agent, Sprong, 27, was reacquired Friday from the Vancouver Canucks for future consideration. The addition of Dutch native Sprong, whose hockey years were mostly shaped in Canada, gives the Kraken a player with a shot-first mentality and goal-scoring ability.

“He’s a guy who scored 20 points for us, so we felt like he was worth the risk,” Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. “We know we can use him all over the lineup. We can use him on the power play. He has the pace of the game, he knows our team and he knows our system.”

Sprong continued to score after leaving the Kraken, scoring 18 goals last season while on a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings.

“I know I can score from anywhere,” Sprong told reporters last March.

Sprong signed another one-year contract with the Canucks this season and had a goal and two assists in his first 10 games.

Kraken’s hope of getting Sprong back into familiar surroundings reignites his scoring drive for a team that needs more offense. Heading into Friday night’s home game against the Vegas Golden Knights, they had scored just 20 times in their last nine games, missing offensively gifted defenseman Vince Dunn with an injury.

Despite limited minutes on the fourth line, Sprong has averaged 2.1 shots per game over a career spanning six teams since being drafted by Pittsburgh in the second round, 46.^th overall in 2015. The Kraken acquired him from the Washington Capitals at the March trade deadline for the 2021-22 expansion season, and he immediately impressed with six goals in just six games.

His only full season with the Kraken came in 2022-23, when Sprong, Morgan Geekie and Ryan Donato were the primary trio forming a fourth line that combined for 44 goals and 57 assists. That season, Sprong scored 43 points and had a goal and an assist in 10 playoff games.

Sprong’s total was achieved while playing only 11:25 per game – 20 team points.^th highest total.

His statistics were also compiled over just 66 games, meaning his goals per game rate (0.32) was second highest on the team behind Jared McCann. His six power play goals also tied him with Oliver Bjorkstrand for second place behind McCann’s seven goals.

But despite those numbers, the Kraken decided not to extend a qualifying offer to Sprong as a restricted free agent. As a result, he became an unrestricted free agent who could sign elsewhere.

At the time, the Kraken were trying to clear roster spots for rookie draft picks like Ty Cartier, Ryan Winterton and Shane Wright, who were expected to begin arriving in the NHL last season and in the years to come. Cartier made last season’s team out of training camp, while Wright and Winterton joined at the end of the season.

Wright led this season’s team out of camp, and Winterton showed up for a game earlier this week in Colorado.