NHL Rumors: Daniel Sprong Could Make Drastic Move in Free Agency

Back-to-back solid seasons as a secondary scorer were unable to land Daniel Sprong a regular job in the NHL in 2024-25. He wound up bouncing around between three NHL teams and the AHL, and now is considering a drastic move to continue his hockey career.

Sport-express in Russia is reporting that CSKA and Avangard of the KHL are both interested in the 28-year-old forward.

Sprong, a native of the Netherlands who grew up in Quebec, finished this past season with the New Jersey Devils (after also spending time with the Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Kraken), and was hoping to remain under the tutelage of head coach Sheldon Keefe.

UFA Daniel Sprong wanted to stay with the Devils

“Yeah, I loved it here. I love playing for him. I think he’s my favorite coach I played for in the NHL so far, and I’d really love to come back," said Sprong at the team's locker clean out, as reported in New Jersey Hockey Now.

Sprong feels that Keefe helped him hone his defensive game. He had two assists in 11 games and handed out 21 hits during his time in Jersey, averaging 12:29 of ice time per night. However, it doesn't as if a return to the Devils is in the cards.

Overall on the season, he finished with seven points in 30 games. It was certainly a disappointing year, after he'd recorded 18 and 21 goals as a secondary scorer in the bottom-six for the Detroit Red Wings and the Kraken, respectively, in the previous two seasons.

After a 2024-25 campaign in which he was traded, waived, demoted to the AHL, then traded again, he'll now consider a potential future in the KHL.