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

[Northern Avs Fan]

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.

He’s been the same way with Makar. I think he had Makar ranked somewhere in the teens pre-draft in 2017. He still doesn’t seem to bullish on either him, or Heiskanen.

 

[BruinsBtn]

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.

And he has Laine at #7. Imagine the Jets turning down a Laine for Heiskanen trade? They would be out of their minds. They'd give Laine and Ehlers and a 1st for Heiskanen in a heartbeat... and Dallas would still say no.

 

[Islay1989]

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.

Guy rates Jost's skating with 55 and Cale Makar's with a 60. Makar is one of the best skaters in the game. Jost is at best painfully average for a guy of his size. I think this tells you everything.

I have no idea how this hot take artist got the gig he has.

 

[Zach716]

Pettersson, Makar, Hughes, Dahlin, Heiskanen and Matthews can all interchangeably be #1-6 with Svechnikov as 7.

This list is pretty terrible.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

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.

Potentials are considered too and Jack and Kakko both have higher

 

[serp]

Potentials are considered too and Jack and Kakko both have higher

Do they really ?

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Just cancelled my Athletic subscription because of this awful list.

Says more about you then it does his list!

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I think another interesting aspect of this list is the tier groups Pronman has the players in.

He has it:

Matthews

Dahlin
Petterson
Lafreniere

M. Tkachuk
Svechnikov
Laine
J. Hughes
Kakko
Byfield

Q. Hughes
B. Tkachuk
Makar
Heiskanen
Stutzle

Then Dach starts the next tier.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Do they really ?

I believe so - if they reach it we dont know and wont know for a while

Kakko perhaps not but Im still high on him, Jack’s skating is so elite he will, barring injuries, inevitably battle for Art Ross’

Quinn is an exceptional skater but Jack has him beat, as theyve all admitted themselves in interviews with the brothers. They think Jack has the best skating, Luke the best defender, and Quinn the best hands

 

[Filthy Dangles]

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

It's weird how the Leafs tend to outscore the opposition and perform better relatively when the goal scoring winger is out on the ice in the centre position. Can you explain that?

 

[A1LeafNation]

Wheres Nico Hischier?

 

[Halakitlikethat]

He’s just trying to get clicks

 

[moropanov]

Kakko perhaps not but Im still high on him, Jack’s skating is so elite he will, barring injuries, inevitably battle for Art Ross’

What an absolute joke.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Wheres Nico Hischier?

21. Behind Robert Thomas, ahead of Sergachev.

 

[thefutures]

My favorite thing to do when I see these types of terrible lists is to try to find the absolute worst, most difficult to justify listing of one player above another.

For this one, I think my favorite is Robert Thomas over Charlie McAvoy.

For me it's perfetti, I like him but he went 10th In his own draft, how can he be top 20 with actual NHL proven talent U23. Maybe as soon as next year it would be justifiable but not a chance right now.

 

[A1LeafNation]

21. Behind Robert Thomas, ahead of Sergachev.

Missed that thanks. I guess he just kinda blends in.

 

[Breakers]

Good on him to admit he was wrong about Pettersson
Pettersson should be top 3 period.

 

[serp]

I believe so - if they reach it we dont know and wont know for a while

Kakko perhaps not but Im still high on him, Jack’s skating is so elite he will, barring injuries, inevitably battle for Art Ross’

Quinn is an exceptional skater but Jack has him beat, as theyve all admitted themselves in interviews with the brothers. They think Jack has the best skating, Luke the best defender, and Quinn the best hands

I mean #1 defenseman on a contender isn't exactly small fries here.

 

[The Note]

I am not defending it but Pronman has loved Thomas for multiple years now, to the point where I am wondering if they are related. As a fan of the Blues I've obviously got high hopes for Thomas as he matures but there's no reason to have him over McAvoy at this point.

 

[TOGuy14]

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

Matthews won 55% of his faceoffs last year and played great defence against other teams top lines.

What exactly makes him a winger in your mind?

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

21. Behind Robert Thomas, ahead of Sergachev.

This is even funnier when you consider that all four are ahead of Charlie McAvoy.

For me it's perfetti, I like him but he went 10th In his own draft, how can he be top 20 with actual NHL proven talent U23. Maybe as soon as next year it would be justifiable but not a chance right now.

Perfetti is probably a worse bet than Robert Thomas but I can at least get the logic behind taking a high-end high ceiling prospect over an established NHLer who is 4 years older, even though I vehemently disagree with it. But Robert Thomas is only one year behind McAvoy and he's already proven he's nowhere near as good.

 

[strattonius]

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

I haven't seen how Dahlin is going to surpass Heiskanen, Hughes and Makar at this point.

I know Dahlin is a year younger but he will have to take a big step to be with the 3 I listed.

 

[Three On Zero]

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

Heiskanen does a lot right but he doesn’t have that “wow” factor. This is probably why he is so low

 

[McDavidCrushedLarkin]

Just proves anyone with a keyboard can be a "writer".

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I haven't seen how Dahlin is going to surpass Heiskanen, Hughes and Makar at this point.

I know Dahlin is a year younger but he will have to take a big step to be with the 3 I listed.

Thats one of the few things he got right with this list. Dahlin is the best young defenseman in the league. Don't blame Buffalo's ineptitude on him.