Daniel Sprong Linked to Metropolitan Team

He's essentially the top forward left on the free agent market, but still, Daniel Sprong remains out there, unsigned.

The newest potential fit for him comes to us from Arthur Staple of The Athletic, who proposes that the New York Rangers could make a run at the 27-year-old.

Staple calls the winger an "intriguing" possibility for the Blueshirts as a replacement for Kaapo Kakko, should they wind up trading the former first-rounder this summer, as has been discussed.

He notes a connection to Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette, who coached Sprong with the Washington Capitals for a couple of seasons, "so perhaps... the coach’s familiarity could help make a match."

Sprong, however, wasn't the same player back in his Caps days as he's become now over the past two seasons with the Seattle Kraken and the Detroit Red Wings. He was nothing more than a 20-point man in Washington (though with a plus/minus rating in the positive), whereas the past two seasons, Sprong has posted 21 goals and 18 goals, and 40+ points both years—all in 12 minutes or less of ice time per game.

The former second-round pick (2015 Draft) had never earned more than $750,000 in a season before last year's $2 million deal with the Detroit Red Wings. He's now put together two solid back-to-back years and should be in line for a number north of that. AFP Analytics had him pegged at garnering a $4 million AAV in free agency, though now with most teams having done the bulk of their spending, he might not reach that number at this point.

Keep an eye on the Rangers, especially if they do trade Kakko without getting another top-nine winger in return.