Athletic’s Corey Pronman ranks his top U-23 players

[Shakey Rustie]

How can Matthews (or anyone else for that matter) be on an under 23 list if he is 23?

 

[Rob Brown]

The Hart ranking seems consistent with Pronman not being high on goalies in general. Unless I'm mistaken, he's left them off his rankings lists in the past entirely because he doesn't like the volatility of the position.

Yeah perhaps, but in that case just make a separate list for goalies. Just looks awful with guys like Chytil, Formenton, Batherson etc. ahead of him, and I only looked at a few.

 

[Mickey Marner]

How can Matthews (or anyone else for that matter) be on an under 23 list if he is 23?

He used September 15th, 2020 as the cutoff. Matthews made it by two days.

 

[Rob Brown]

He used September 15th, 2020 as the cutoff. Matthews made it by two days.

Yeah and as an add on, September 15 is the cut off for the NHL draft, so he didn't just make it up.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Who is Austin Matthews? Is he related to obvious #1 on this list, Auston Matthews, franchise player of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Having Hughes, Makar, and Heiskanen all the way down around Brady Tkachuk is a bit of a wheeze.

I feel this is more a testament to how he regards Tkachuk than a knock on those other players.

 

[TGWL]

Cool that the best player on a team that went to the finals is ranked behind 2 guys who had a very dissapointing rookie season and 2 guys who haven't played a single NHL game yet.

The ranking is based on who he believes will have better careers, no? This isn't ranked on current play. I do agree he should be higher though.

 

[LeafGrief]

I feel this is more a testament to how he regards Tkachuk than a knock on those other players.

I understand that he's pretty high on Tkachuk which is justifiable, but to have a winger in with the future Norris contenders is still a stretch. Having those D down in the teens definitely strikes me as a "knock".

To put my own opinion on the line, I'd probably try and squeeze the three of them all in right after Svechnikov at the latest.

 

[wintersej]

I have a few thoughts, but it does seem as though Pronman does not value young defenseman as much. Hughes, Makar, Heiskanen, and McAvoy all seem to low to me considering what they have shown at the NHL level.

I could hear an argument that D don't drive play as much as F and Pronman prefers guys with skill that drive play, which has always been his MO.

Then I see Dahlin at 2. And I see three forwards that are primarily goal scorers that don't drive play much in the top 9. And I just don't know what to say.

 

[zcaptain]

Corey Pronman of the Athletic ranks his top U-23 players.

This is a projection on who he believes will have the best careers. It’s actually 155 players in total, but I’ll just post the top-25 here to discuss.

1. Auston Matthews
2. Rasmus Dahlin
3. Elias Pettersson
4. Alexis Lafreniere
5. Matthew Tkachuk
6. Andrei Svechnikov
7. Patrick Laine
8. Jack Hughes
9. Kaapo Kakko
10. Quinton Byfield
11. Quinn Hughes
12. Brady Tkachuk
13. Cale Makar
14. Miro Heiskanen
15. Tim Stutzle
16. Kirby Dach
17. Lucas Raymond
18. Pierre Luc-Dubois
19. Cole Perfetti
20. Robert Thomas
21. Nico Hischier
22. Milhail Sergachev
23. Trevor Zegras
24. Charlie McAvoy
25. Barrett Hayton

I have a problem ranking kids that have not even shown anything yet, over players that have. In saying that here is my list oif the same players......

1. Auston Matthews
2. Elias Pettersson

3. Miro Heiskanen
4. Cal Maker
5. Quinn Hughes
6. Andrei Svechnikov
7. Rasmus Dahlin
8. Alexis Lafrenierre

9. Pierre Luc-Dubois
10. Patrick Laine
11. Charlie McAvoy
12. Mihail Sergachev
14. Matthew Tkachuk

15. Kirby Dach
16. Trevor Zegras
17. Brady Tkachuk

18. Jack Hughes.
19. Nico Hischier
20. Tim Stutzle

21. Kaapo Kakko ?????
22. Quinton Bifield ?????
23. Barrett Hayton ?????
24. Robert Thomas ?????
25. Cole Perfetti ?????

I grouped these guys in groups, where I thought their impact was similar, until the end, where who knows????

Note...........I think Heiskanen, Maker and Hughes could be in any order, they all bring something different to the game, and time will tell which ones better. I gave Heiskanen the nod, because of his outstanding playoff performance. And in saying that, Ramus Dahlin may be the best of the 4, as he is the youngest of them, and on the worse team.........I want them all!

I also think you are splitting hairs, when evaluating Dach, Zegras, Tkachuk and Hughes, Hischier, and Stutzle, who could all be in a different order in several years.......I really like Dach and Brady Tkachuk, and think Stutzle could be the best of the 6........its a crap shoot with such a small sample size.

 

[TOGuy14]

Heiskanen at #14 is ludacrious. Did he sleep through the playoffs?
#1 Heiskanen
#2 Pettersson
#3 Makar
#4 Matthews
#5 Q.Hughes

Heisk is definitely too low, but putting him at #1 is just as crazy as putting him as #14

IMO he should easily be above Byfield, Kaako, J. Hughes and the Tkachuks

After that it starts to get a bit more subjective in terms of preference.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

No scout has enough time to watch every prospect, that's why NHL scouts are largely regional. So when Pronman makes a list on all the prospects every year, it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Then, when he doubles down on it and says that, not only can he watch every prospect, but he can watch all the young players in the NHL enough to be able to rank them correctly. Pronman's stuff is bordering on infuriating.

 

[moropanov]

Heisk is definitely too low, but putting him at #1 is just as crazy as putting him as #14

IMO he should easily be above Byfield, Kaako, J. Hughes and the Tkachuks

After that it starts to get a bit more subjective in terms of preference.

Why is Heiskanen as the #1 crazy? He arguably had the greatest playoff performance by a u23 defenceman ever and has zero flaws in his game.

I think the #1 and #2 spots are between Heiskanen and Pettersson and it comes down to preference. Both are extremely high IQ, which I value a lot, and both will win championships in this league.

If you're worried about Matthews, he lacks the IQ and ability to make linemates better to challenge for #1.

 

[MrHeiskanen]

It's amazing how much Pronman hates Heiskanen.

The dude hated him in his draft year.

The dude hated him D+1 when Heiskanen played WJC, WC and Olympics

The dude slightly improved his opinion on him and somewhat admitted he was wrong after Heiskanen rookie season.

Now.. after a point per game playoff run, 25-30 minutes every night as a #1D man going to the Stanley Cup Finals.. and Pronman still rates him this low.

This dude is clueless, too much time watching prospects in J20 Sweden instead of the Stanley Cup Finals perhaps.

 

[BruinsBtn]

This idiot had Joe Hicketts in his top-60 on this list for at least two years. He has no idea. He had Jeremy Bracco at #85 a year ago. He's clueless.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Why is Heiskanen as the #1 crazy? He arguably had the greatest playoff performance by a u23 defenceman ever and has zero flaws in his game.

I think the #1 and #2 spots are between Heiskanen and Pettersson and it comes down to preference. Both are extremely high IQ, which I value a lot, and both will win championships in this league.

If you're worried about Matthews, he lacks the IQ and ability to make linemates better to challenge for #1.

it's completely reasonable to say Heiskanen should be higher, but saying Matthews can't even challenge for the #1 spot is just as ridiculous

 

[moropanov]

it's completely reasonable to say Heiskanen should be higher, but saying Matthews can't even challenge for the #1 spot is just as ridiculous

It's just my opinion. Pettersson and Heiskanen stand in a tier ahead of Matthews for me.

Matthews goalscoring is so groundbreaking, that he is a lock for top 5 though.

 

[jetsforever]

Matt Tkachuk is insanely high at #5.

 

[TOGuy14]

Why is Heiskanen as the #1 crazy? He arguably had the greatest playoff performance by a u23 defenceman ever and has zero flaws in his game.

I think the #1 and #2 spots are between Heiskanen and Pettersson and it comes down to preference. Both are extremely high IQ, which I value a lot, and both will win championships in this league.

If you're worried about Matthews, he lacks the IQ and ability to make linemates better to challenge for #1.

What are you even talking about. Are you talking about a different Matthews than the rest of us?

Since he came into the league four years ago Auston Matthews is second only to Alex Ovechkin in goals scored and plays a strong two way game at C

Really doubt there is anyone who wouldn't take Matthews over Heiskanen based off a playoff run...

 

[Mickey Marner]

Highest rating for IQ is Trevor Zegras with a 75/80. Bold move, Cotton.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Just horrible.

So at least Pronman is consistent.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

2. Dahlin



11. Q. Hughes
13. Makar
14. Heiskanen





24. McAvoy


What have we been watching?

Dahlin will be the best of all of them so idk what you're problem is? its not a ranking of who had the best 2019-20 season

 

[moropanov]

What are you even talking about. Are you talking about a different Matthews than the rest of us?

Since he came into the league four years ago Auston Matthews is second only to Alex Ovechkin in goals scored and plays a strong two way game at C

Really doubt there is anyone who wouldn't take Matthews over Heiskanen based off a playoff run...

Matthews is a splendid goalscorer. But his hockey IQ is just average and he doesn't offer much in terms of playmaking.

I don't see Matthews as the kind of guy to lead a team to a Stanley Cup.

 

[Gurglesons]

Heiskanen has been a thirty point all situation D for his regular season career. A hot couple weeks in the playoffs (especially considering his offensive impact cratered after the 2nd round.) doesn't set up a player to be a top five player.

 

[wintersej]

What are you even talking about. Are you talking about a different Matthews than the rest of us?

Since he came into the league four years ago Auston Matthews is second only to Alex Ovechkin in goals scored and plays a strong two way game at C

Really doubt there is anyone who wouldn't take Matthews over Heiskanen based off a playoff run...

Matthews is the best goal scoring winger in the game playing center for some reason.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Matthews is the best goal scoring winger in the game playing center for some reason.

maybe the reason is he thrives at center