Twenty five goals for Daniel Sprong: The Canucks reveal their expectations

He has elevated offensive instincts and a great scoring touch, but heavy criticism for his two-way play; they are hoping Rick Tocchet can turn him into a top-six player. Sprong's connection to the Canucks' management goes back to their Pittsburgh Penguins days when they drafted him in the second round. Since then, Sprong has found a role in the NHL, but it hasn't been enough to warrant a long-term contract.

Jim Rutherford was on the Bob Mckown Podcast earlier and talked about their newest addition, Sprong. Rutherford revealed that they believed Sprong could give them somewhere between 20 and 25 goals; he also added that Sprong's versatility made him a weapon of choice and that, depending on chemistry and his defensive responsibilities, he could very well be used on the team's top line.

Sprong made his place in the NHL by being a secondary scoring option, scoring on average, at a 20-goal pace over his last four NHL seasons. If he learns to be a reliable defensive player and builds chemistry with Jake Debrusk and Elias Pettersson, he could wind up being on the Canucks' top line and second power-play unit. After scoring 18 last year while averaging over 12 minutes, a bigger role and better opportunities could help him reach new levels.

Source: The Bob Mckown Podcast