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Current Red Wings forward Daniel Sprong has largely managed to avoid the penalty box in the 268 NHL games he’s played since entering the league, as he’s only spent 44 minutes in the sin bin in the seven years he’s spent at hockey’s highest level.
He’s also not exactly known for being an enforcer—but he could be facing more than five minutes for fighting based on some recent accusations that have surfaced courtesy of a former IndyCar driver who’s accused Sprong of crossing the line.
According to Detroit Hockey Now, Zachary Claman DeMelo—a Montreal native who spent a couple of years competing in IndyCar before his career fizzled out—headed to Michigan earlier this year for the Detroit Grand Prix, which saw downtown Motor City temporarily transform into a racetrack for the race that was held on June 4th.
Based on what DeMelo had to say about what transpired during his visit, he apparently encountered Sprong (who played for the Kraken last season before signing a one-year contract with Detroit at the start of June) at a nightclub in the city where things allegedly went south after they crossed paths.
On Thursday, DeMelo hopped on Instagram to accuse Sprong of assaulting him multiple times inside the venue and posted some pictures of the damage he asserted the winger inflicted, saying:
“During Grand Prix weekend, I was assaulted at a nightclub by [Detroit Red Wings NHL player Daniel Sprong]. He grabbed my neck and pinned me [to] a wall. We were separated during that scuffle.
After when I believed the situation was over Daniel came back and sucker-punched me in the face while I was defenseless…
The dental work needed was brutal and I’m still not finished. I also sustained a concussion that I’ve been dealing with over the past few weeks.”
The ex-IndyCar driver also implied he could be taking legal action against Sprong, and there’s a chance the latter may not be a member of the Red Wings for much longer if it turns out the allegations have any merit.