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The Detroit Red Wings are hoping to make progress this upcoming season. Progress can come in a number of ways. One way comes through the points a team earns throughout the season. Another deals with individual players raising their performances during any one season. For a team like Detroit, these should go hand in hand.
The Red Wings have a few obvious players that could break out on their roster. Forward Lucas Raymond is likely the name each Detroit fan has in mind when reading this. Raymond experienced a dip in point production last season. But he should receive ample time in the top six this year. And that could lead to the 21-year-old establishing himself as a true rising star in the game.
However, let's take a look at some players a bit down the lineup for Detroit. And let's figure out who is the biggest breakout candidate for the Detroit Red Wings now that the 2023-24 NHL season is underway.
A few candidates
The Red Wings have no shortage of candidates who could breakout, even outside of Raymond. Defenseman Jake Walman enjoyed somewhat of a breakout season last year. His midseason pairing with Moritz Seider yielded success for both players. And the pairing became one of the more effective top pairings in the NHL. Perhaps a full season next to Seider allows Walman to truly emerge as a top-two defenseman in the league.
Another potential breakout candidate is forward Klim Kostin. The Red Wings acquired the 24-year-old in an offseason trade from the Edmonton Oilers. Kostin, a former first-round pick, thrived with the Oilers last season after a trade from the Nashville Predators. He could find himself a regular role in the middle six, which may allow him to establish himself as a legitimate NHL contributor in his second full season.
However, there is one breakout candidate I'm keying in on. This is a veteran forward who signed with Detroit in the offseason. And if everything falls his way, he could become one of the best value signings of the 2023 NHL Free Agency class.
Red Wings biggest breakout candidate
The biggest breakout candidate on the Detroit Red Wings this season is forward Daniel Sprong. Sprong, 26, has never had a major role on any team he's played for. The most time on ice he's averaged in any full season was a touch under 13 minutes, which came in 2021-22. And yet, Sprong has been incredibly effective.
Last season saw the Dutch forward play for the Seattle Kraken. He mostly played on the team's third line, where he thrived. Sprong scored 21 goals and 46 points in 66 games. All while averaging around 11 and a half minutes during the 2022-23 season.
So far through two games, Sprong has made his mark. He's averaged over 14 minutes for the Red Wings in these games. And he has goals in both games. In fact, he scored Detroit's first goal of the season against the New Jersey Devils. It wasn't the prettiest goal, but the 26-year-old was in the right area to find the back of the net nonetheless.
His goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday was more of the same. Alex DeBrincat fired a shot on goal that beat Lightning goalie Jonas Johansson. The puck stopped before the goal line, however. Sprong never took his eyes off the puck, and beat out a Tampa defender to score the game's opening goal.
Sprong has looked like a threat any time he's touched the puck so far this season. If this keeps up, he could find himself among the team leaders in goals. And Detroit would certainly welcome that, especially if it helps them make the Stanley Cup Playoffs next spring.
