Vancouver Canucks remove forward Daniel Sprong from lineup

Sprong has always been touted as a player with tremendous offensive upside, which he clearly showcased in the season opener Vs the Calgary Flames as he scored a slick power-play goal.

After signing as a free agent in the offseason, Daniel Sprong has come in looking like the player he has always been. He has shown high spurts of offensive caliber, but has also struggled on the other side of the puck.

In his first 2 games with Vancouver, he made two glaring defensive mistakes that has shown head coach Rick Tocchet that he may need to sit out a few games. The team announced that Sprong will be listed as a healthy scratch for their matchup against the Tampa Bay Lighting.

Initially reported by Sportsnet's Dan Murphy, Sprong was seen on the ice in practice skating as an extra forward in Tampa, while Danton Heinen was listed on the second line where Sprong would normally be playing. Playing with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk, Heinen looks to be more consistent than his counterpart and wants excel both offensively and defensively in order to keep his spot in the lineup.

Of course, with it being this early in the season, no lines or combinations are permanent, head coach Rick Tocchet will be shaking things up almost every game until he sees what he wants out of the the team.