The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed their top draft pick from the 2015 draft (46th overall), Daniel Sprong, to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced on Friday.
General Fanager reports that the deal is worth the maximum $925,000 at the NHL level.
The 18-year-old Dutch right wing has spent the last two seasons playing for the Charlottetown Islanders in the QMJHL. Last season he posted 39 goals and 49 assists through 68 games, adding another seven goals and four assists through 10 playoff games. He led the Islanders in both goals and assists in the postseason.
Penguins sign top draft pick Daniel Sprong (@sprong97) to a three-year, entry-level contract: http://t.co/xSWhlKRBm4 pic.twitter.com/8Hzz4GYp4x
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) August 28, 2015
Sprong was ranked as high as 18th overall prior to the draft (Future Considerations, ranked 20th by Central Scouting) and fell far on draft day, giving the Penguins a chance to grab a high-ceiling skill player in the middle of the draft’s second round. He has the potential to inject a top six talent into a depleted Penguins prospect pool, particularly after the team packaged Kasperi Kapanen into this summer’s Phil Kessel trade.
He’s likely to spend the season developing in the QMJHL again this year.
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