Penguins send Sprong back to junior
Daniel Sprong is heading back to junior.
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced Saturday they've returned their second-round selection in last summer's draft to Charlottetown of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for the rest of the season.
Rutherford on Sprong: "This time in the NHL has been a good development experience, but it's important for him to have more playing time."
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 19, 2015
Though Sprong gained some experience at the highest level, the Penguins' experiment has to be considered a gross mismanagement. Pittsburgh burned the first season of his rookie contract while he sat on the bench or in the press box, and at the risk of stunting his development.
Sprong appeared in 18 games, playing less than nine minutes on average, and scoring twice.
He was made a scratch on 13 occasions.
Sprong scored at a better than a point-per-game pace with Charlottetown last season, but didn't yet have the numbers to suggest he was prepared to contribute with regularity at the next level.
The Penguins have called up Scott Wilson from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has a share of the American Hockey League lead with 15 goals.