One year ago today, the Pittsburgh Penguins pulled the trigger on a classic “change of scenery” trade with a familiar trade partner in the Anaheim Ducks. The Pens would send young but struggling forward Daniel Sprong out west in exchange for a young but unestablished defenseman in Marcus Pettersson. Both were former second round picks, Sprong in 2015, Pettersson in 2014.
Everyone had an opinion, most of them negative about the deal for the Pittsburgh perspective.
Sprong, much like Derrick Pouliot and Simon Despres before him, captured the imagination of the internet.