Daniel Sprong Bio
Daniel Sprong is a Dutch professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for HC CSKA Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Born on March 17, 1997, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, he has built a career that has taken him from his hometown through North American junior and professional leagues, and now to Russia. Sprong first gained attention when the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him 46th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, and he has since suited up for several NHL clubs, including the Anaheim Ducks, Washington Capitals, Seattle Kraken, Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks, and New Jersey Devils. Known for his scoring touch and offensive instincts, he has carved out a journeyman reputation while producing at nearly every stop.
Standing 183 centimeters tall and weighing 83 kilograms, Sprong relies on speed, a quick release, and creativity to generate offense. After his most recent NHL chapter with the New Jersey Devils, he signed a one-year contract with HC CSKA Moscow on July 23, 2025, opening a new chapter in his professional career abroad.
Early Life and Background
Daniel Sprong was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on March 17, 1997. His father, Hannie Sprong, was a professional hockey player in the Netherlands during the early 1990s and later managed a team there, which gave Daniel early exposure to the sport. Sprong first played hockey as a young child in his hometown of Amsterdam, and because the Dutch hockey program was not well developed, at ages four and five he skated on teams with players as old as twelve or thirteen. That early competition helped sharpen his skills and fueled his ambition to pursue the sport at a higher level.
To help further Sprong’s development, his family moved to L’Île-Bizard, Quebec, in 2005, when he was eight years old. In Quebec, he played within the Deux-Rives minor ice hockey program and competed at the 2008 and 2009 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments. The family settled into the community near Montreal, where Sprong continued to grow as a player and as a young athlete adjusting to a new country and a more competitive hockey landscape.
Although Sprong was raised largely in Canada and holds Dutch citizenship, he has applied for Canadian citizenship. As of 2022, he had not yet received it, although he was a Canadian permanent resident. He is the third NHL player born in the Netherlands, following Ed Kea and Ed Beers, who were also raised in Canada.
Path to Hockey
Sprong’s competitive path in Canada took shape when he joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights, a Pennsylvania-based travelling team, for the 2011-12 season. Back in Quebec the following season, he played for the Lac St-Louis Tigres and set the Quebec Midget Espoir AA league scoring record with 104 points in 30 games. Because he was a non-citizen, Sprong was ineligible to play in the top tier of Quebec midget hockey, which made his production in the second tier all the more impressive.
His production drew the attention of major junior scouts, and he was selected thirteenth overall by the Charlottetown Islanders in the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft. He joined the team for the 2013-14 season and immediately led the Islanders in scoring with 68 points in 67 games, earning a spot on the 2013-14 QMJHL All-Rookie Team. The following 2014-15 season, Sprong again led the Islanders in scoring and finished twelfth overall in the QMJHL with 88 points, while also being invited to the 2015 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
The NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s final list ranked him as the 20th best North American skater, and the Pittsburgh Penguins selected him in the second round, 46th overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. That selection launched his North American professional career and set the stage for his NHL debut later that fall.
Daniel Sprong Career
Early Career (2013-2017)
Sprong signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on August 28, 2015, and impressed the club’s management at training camp, earning a spot on the Penguins’ opening roster for the 2015-16 season. He became the first player taken in the second round or later to make the opening night roster immediately after being drafted since Brandon Saad in 2011. His first NHL game came on October 8, 2015, against the Dallas Stars, and he recorded his first goal on October 15 against Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson. He played 18 games for Pittsburgh, scoring two goals, before the team returned him to Charlottetown for the remainder of the season.
When his QMJHL season ended, he was reassigned to the Penguins’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, for their playoff run, appearing in 10 games and recording 7 points. During a Penguins playoff practice, Sprong injured his shoulder, and the resulting surgery kept him out for roughly seven to eight months. He rejoined Charlottetown in January 2017 and finished the 2016-17 season with 59 points in 31 games, the highest points-per-game average in the entire QMJHL. He ended his Islanders career third in goals and second in points in franchise history, and during the playoffs he tied the record for most career goals while breaking the records for most assists and points.
Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks Era (2017-2020)
After a strong finish to his junior career, Sprong spent parts of four seasons in the Pittsburgh organization, splitting time between the NHL club and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. On December 3, 2018, the Penguins traded him to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Marcus Pettersson. Remaining with the Ducks through the 2018-19 season, Sprong set new career highs with 14 goals and 19 points in 47 games, showing the offensive ability that had marked his junior production.
Following a sub-par training camp with Anaheim, Sprong was placed on waivers before the 2019-20 season, went unclaimed, and was reassigned to the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. With direction to play a more complete two-way game, he responded with 11 goals and 27 points in 39 games. After a recall to Anaheim, he posted only 2 points in 8 games and was returned to the Gulls, but his scoring at the AHL level kept his name in trade discussions.
Washington Capitals and Seattle Kraken Era (2020-2023)
The Washington Capitals acquired Sprong from the Ducks on February 24, 2020, in exchange for Christian Djoos, and assigned him to their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. He signed a two-year, $1.45 million contract extension with Washington on September 18, 2020. On March 21, 2022, the Capitals traded him, along with two draft picks, to the Seattle Kraken for Marcus Johansson.
His initial stint with Seattle ended when his contract expired, and he went unsigned through the summer. Approaching the 2022-23 season, Sprong returned to the Kraken on a professional tryout contract and was later signed to a one-year, two-way deal on October 3, 2022. He recorded a career-high 46 points in 66 games with Seattle, re-establishing himself as a reliable scoring winger at the NHL level.
Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks Era (2023-2025)
On July 1, 2023, Sprong signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings. He produced 18 goals and 25 assists in 76 games with the Red Wings, providing secondary scoring and power-play value. After his deal expired, he signed a one-year agreement worth $975,000 with the Vancouver Canucks on July 20, 2024, for the 2024-25 season.
Sprong struggled to cement a defined role in Vancouver, appearing in 9 games and registering 1 goal and 3 points. On November 8, 2024, the Canucks traded him back to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for future considerations, ending his brief tenure in British Columbia.
New Jersey Devils and CSKA Moscow Era (2025-Present)
Sprong’s second stint in Seattle was short. On January 8, 2025, the Kraken placed him on waivers after he posted 2 points in 10 games, and he cleared fully the next day, with the intention of assigning him to the Kraken’s AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. With the Firebirds, he rediscovered his offensive game, posting 25 points in 19 games, before the Kraken traded him to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2026 on March 7, 2025.
As a free agent following his time in New Jersey, Sprong signed a one-year contract with Russian club HC CSKA Moscow of the KHL on July 23, 2025, leaving North America for the first time in his professional career. The move gave him a fresh opportunity in a top European league and a new setting to showcase his scoring ability.
Driving Style and Strengths
Sprong’s game is built on offensive instinct, a quick and accurate shot, and the ability to find soft spots in opposing defensive coverage. He reads the play well in transition, attacks with speed through the neutral zone, and has produced consistently at every professional level, including the AHL, QMJHL, and NHL. Coaches have consistently emphasized the need for Sprong to round out his two-way game, and his most productive stretches have come when he embraces a complete approach while still letting his natural scoring instincts lead the way.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Sprong’s most memorable milestones are his QMJHL records for most assists and points in Islanders playoff history, his 2015-16 distinction as the first second-round pick to make an NHL opening night roster immediately after being drafted since Brandon Saad, and his career-high 46-point season with the Seattle Kraken in 2022-23. In 2023, racing driver Zachary Claman DeMelo accused Sprong of assaulting him at a nightclub during the Detroit Grand Prix weekend, an incident that drew public attention but did not derail his on-ice production.
Daniel Sprong Career Wins
Daniel Sprong’s professional resume includes a steady flow of scoring achievements across junior, AHL, and NHL levels, along with new benchmarks in the KHL. While he has not captured a major professional championship, he has produced career-best offensive seasons with multiple organizations, set franchise records in junior, and earned individual recognition in the QMJHL.
QMJHL and Junior Highlights
Sprong’s junior career peaked with the Charlottetown Islanders, where he led the team in scoring in each of his three seasons. He set the Quebec Midget Espoir AA league scoring record with 104 points in 30 games, was named to the 2013-14 QMJHL All-Rookie Team, and finished his Islanders career third in goals and second in points in franchise history. He also tied the record for most career playoff goals and broke the records for most assists and points in Islanders postseason history, capping his junior run with a 20-point playoff performance in 2016-17.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the QMJHL, Sprong has recorded career-best NHL scoring campaigns with the Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, and Detroit Red Wings, including 14 goals with Anaheim in 2018-19, a 46-point season with Seattle in 2022-23, and 43 points with Detroit in 2023-24. He also posted a 25-point stretch in just 19 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL during the 2024-25 season, reinforcing his reputation as a consistent offensive contributor.
Daniel Sprong Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Daniel Sprong was raised in a hockey family. His father, Hannie Sprong, was a professional hockey player in the Netherlands during the early 1990s and later managed a team there, which influenced Daniel’s early introduction to the sport. The family’s decision to relocate from Amsterdam to L’Île-Bizard, Quebec, in 2005 was driven by the limited development opportunities in Dutch youth hockey and by Hannie’s understanding of what it took to reach the highest levels of the game.
Personal Life
Sprong continues to make his home in Île Bizard, Quebec, Canada, where he settled with his family as a child. He remains a Dutch citizen but has applied for Canadian citizenship, and as of 2022 he was a Canadian permanent resident who had not yet received his citizenship. As a result, he has not played in international tournaments, having declined invitations from the Dutch national team in the hope of remaining eligible for Team Canada.
2025 Season Performance
Daniel Sprong’s 2024-25 season was a journey of stops and fresh starts. He opened the year with the Vancouver Canucks, appearing in 9 games and recording 1 goal and 3 points before being traded back to the Seattle Kraken on November 8, 2024. After being placed on waivers by Seattle in January 2025 and clearing, he was assigned to the Coachella Valley Firebirds, where he caught fire offensively with 25 points in 19 games.
That surge earned him another NHL opportunity, as the Kraken traded him to the New Jersey Devils on March 7, 2025, in exchange for a seventh-round pick in 2026. The mid-season move gave Sprong a playoff push with New Jersey and a chance to reset his NHL trajectory after a turbulent campaign.
Following his time in New Jersey, Sprong signed a one-year contract with HC CSKA Moscow of the KHL on July 23, 2025, beginning a new chapter abroad. The 2025 outlook centers on his adjustment to a larger ice surface, his role within CSKA’s offensive structure, and his pursuit of consistent production in one of Europe’s most competitive leagues.