Sprong
Pens prospect Daniel Sprong has a tendency to make scoring goals appear easy. Almost second nature. Sprong tallied 117 goals in 199 career games in parts of four seasons with Charlottetown of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In his final campaign in 2016-17, the Amsterdam native notched 32 goals in 31 games, which included four hat tricks, one four-goal game and 10 multi-goal games. Sprong's biggest game was on March 8 against Moncton when he posted a career-high four goals and seven points.
"It was a good year personal-wise," Sprong said.
Sprong's offensive talent is obvious. But for him to make the leap into the NHL next season, he knows that it's the other side of his game that needs to be strong.
"I knew in the Q that I always had the numbers since I started at 16," said Sprong at the team's annual development camp. "But I knew this year would be my last year to develop my game one last time before making the step, hopefully to the NHL next year full time.
"I worked a lot away from the puck. I worked on a different side of my game."
The numbers prove Sprong's case. In his first three seasons with Charlottetown Sprong recorded a minus in each season for a combined minus-50. But last season, his final in the QMJHL, he was an astonishing plus-29. Sprong actually began working on his defensive game off the ice. After suffering a shoulder injury last spring that required surgery, the 20-year-old watched the Pens' Stanley Cup championship run while making mental notes.
"I remember when I was rehabbing my shoulder and watching a lot of games at home just seeing what guys were doing in the D-zone and how I could put that into my game," Sprong said. "I know what I have to do on that side of the puck and my skill will take over on the other side."
Sprong's goal for next season is to play in Pittsburgh. He's used the past year to prepare himself to make that jump both physically and with his play.
"For me, it's just having a good summer off the ice and on ice working on my skill, getting stronger in the gym," he said. "Coming into camp and playing my way, get the chances and make sure I take full advantage of it."
Sprong had a brief stint in the National Hockey League in 2015-16 after the team selected him in the second round (46th overall) of that season's draft. He became the third-youngest player to skate for the Pens at 18 years, six months, 21 days when he made his NHL debut on Oct. 8 at Dallas. Sprong played 18 games that year and scored two goals before being returned to Charlottetown.
"It was a dream come true to make the team at 18 years old," he said. "Playing 18 games and scoring twice is something you'll never forget. I had a taste of it and got sent down."
And now Sprong wants to make a permanent place in the NHL.
"I think I learned a lot and matured a lot during that time," Sprong said. "Coming here at development camp, having a good week here, going back to Montreal and getting ready for rookie tournament and trying to earn a spot."
Aston-Reese
Penguins director of player development Mark Recchi watched Zach Aston-Reese a lot during his senior year at Northeastern in 2016-17, where he put together a terrific season. The numbers certainly stand out - Aston-Reese led the NCAA with 31 goals and tied for first with 63 points in 38 games - but what stood out the most to Pens management was just how good of a fit he would be in the Pens organization. So Recchi helped convince Aston-Reese, a highly coveted undrafted free agent, to sign with Pittsburgh back in March. He knows what Aston-Reese is all about, and Recchi said he's looking forward to everyone else getting a chance to see the 22-year-old forward up close this week at Pens development camp.
"I'm excited for you guys to see Zach Aston-Reese," Recchi said Wednesday. "It's good for him to come here and be around."
Aston-Reese played 10 regular-season games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League before suffering an injury that forced him to miss the entire playoffs.
"It was fun," Aston-Reese said of his experience. "The whole team down there was great and there were two really good leaders, Kevin Porter and Tom Kostopoulos. I was fortunate enough to play with them and they gave me a lot of good advice."
Aston-Reese's scoring touch translated in those 10 games, as he recorded three goals and eight points. His biggest takeaway was that the closer you get to the NHL, the harder it gets and the more work you have to put in.
"The biggest thing I noticed is that guys were a lot stronger," he said. "Guys are older and they've been doing this for years and the puck transition's a lot quicker at that level. It's not that it's much quicker, but everyone's better and everyone's making the right plays."
Moving forward, Aston-Reese wants to work on adding that quickness into his game.
"I think the biggest thing is just getting that quickness right off the block, those first three steps," he said. "You see guys get the puck on the wall in the Dzone and just being able to get up ice and keep up the pace, especially with the Penguins organization. That's one thing they key on, is playing with pace."
During his time at Northeastern, Aston-Reese worked on becoming a north-south player like Chris Kunitz.
"He was a college free agent, too, and kind of a goal scorer his last couple years in college," Aston-Reese said. "Just made a career for himself playing with good guys and being able to put the puck in the back of the net."
Kunitz is also known for being willing to go to the dirty areas, something Aston-Reese excels at. Guerin called Aston-Reese an 'honest, hard-playing player' who does his best in the ugly areas.
"That's kind of been what I've been developing the last couple of years at Northeastern, and I think that kind of showed with my production throughout my four years there," Aston-Reese said of his net-front presence.
Kunitz isn't the only Pens player on Aston-Reese's radar. He's also watched the progression of young former college players like Bryan Rust, Conor Sheary and Scott Wilson, saying their development over such a short period of time after turning pro is 'eye-opening.' But while he's impressed with how impactful they've been at the NHL level, Aston-Reese more focused on his own development and what he needs to do to get here.
"I haven't really heard too much yet as far as next year," Aston-Reese said. "I think I set my own goals, and that's for me to come in and just prove that I belong up here."
Gustavsson
Pens goaltending prospect Filip Gustavsson can only sit and watch. A knee injury has kept the second-round pick (55th overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft from participating in the on-ice sessions of the Pens' annual development camp.
"I've been off the ice so much you just want to get on the ice again," Gustavsson said. "The guys out there playing, it looks like fun."
Gustavsson, 19, completed his first pro season in 2016-17 with Lulea of the Swedish Hockey League. During the season he served as the club's backup behind starter Joel Lassinantti.
"I had some tough battles with the other goalie. But (Lulea) had a tough season and they focused on playing one goalie," Gustavsson said. "It's tough because you feel like you can play as good as he's playing, but you don't get the opportunity."
Since Gustavsson was making the leap to the pro game, Lulea opted to give Lassinantti, the club's starter the past three seasons, the bulk of the work. Gustavsson played 15 games for Lulea, posting a 2.70 goals-against average and .916 save percentage. He also made two appearances in the postseason.
"Last year was my first year and they didn't think I was going to play as well as I did," Gustavsson said. "So they had him as the starter from the start."
But now that Gustavsson has a year of experience and adapted to the pro game, there will be an open battle for the starting position next season.
"Now I think we'll see who is going to be the starter," he said. "I have a chance to take the first spot. Hopefully I'm going to take it."
Pens goaltending coach Mike Buckley believes that Gustavsson has a great chance to be the guy next season.
"I think he's going to make a good push for that," Buckley said. "He played one year of pro. He's going through his second year. He knows what to expect. I think he developed a lot of confidence in the coaching staff there. I think he'll be fine."
That doesn't mean there weren't some growing pains for Gustavsson during his first season in pro hockey.
"When I stepped up from junior to pro in Sweden, everything was so much faster," Gustavsson said. "I didn't have the right technique to play in the fast game. Now it's starting to slow down."
The Pens are stacked with goaltending depth in the organization. Obviously it all starts with Matt Murray's remarkable ascendance over the past two seasons, leading the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. The club also has Tristan Jarry (second-round pick, 44th overall, 2013 NHL Draft), who is scheduled to start for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this year, but could make the jump to the NHL by season's end. And Gustavsson is another top-end goaltending prospect that the Pens scouts raved about last season when he was selected. And his development and projection is right on track.
"He's got a lot of talent," Buckley said. "His trajectory is on a good path."
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