“That’s what’s missing today, order, order!”
– Elvis Gratton
Corey Pronman’s controversial lists have once again exploded the Internet this week.
No surprise there.
In a context where he himself proposes to establish his ranking based on the anticipated career of players, when he ranks the logical favorite for the Rookie of the Year title, Lane Hutson, at the 39th place among U23s, he must expect to get stoned!
At least we can console ourselves, he has adjusted his aim a bit since September when he placed the same Hutson at… 87th place!
But still, even at 39th, the list of “unrelated” players placed ahead of the young sensation from the Canadiens is still too long to be fully displayed; go see it yourself if you have a solid heart…
How can anyone think that Lane Hutson, a star of the NCAA and now a Calder favorite, will have the 39th best career among the analyzed players?
It’s not like Hutson is some obscure hope in the second division at the end of Siberia; he’s one of the new faces in the NHL!
Unless Pronman is doing it on purpose to anger Habs fans and generate clicks!
Ah-Ah!
Because yes, in addition to Hutson being ranked 39th, he also found a way to not include Demidov in his top-15 and “forgot” to include Jacob Fowler, one of the best goalies in the NCAA, in his ranking of 150 players.
In his “defense,” he also did not include Red Wings prospect, goalie Trey Augustine, double gold medalist with the United States at the WJC and equally hot in the NCAA…
A top-15 that we hope is more “sensible”
Well, joking aside, I won’t make a list of 150 players here.
I will leave once again this pharaonic exercise of very, very high stakes (and the risks it entails!) to Pronman and the almost impossible mandate he has to fulfill with The Athletic.
We sympathize with him.
But to continue having a little fun and try to restore some order in all this (!), I focused on a top-15 by asking myself this simple question: according to the anticipated career for them, would I trade player 1 for player 2 (and so on)?
For comparison purposes, I will put Pronman’s ranking in parentheses. We will see that we still won’t completely disagree on everything!
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Category “Elite”:
Players with exceptional qualities and significantly higher hockey IQ. Just below the so-called “generational” players, without establishing new historical standards of excellence, they are dominant and can be “franchise players” in some cases. They make other players better. Capable of executing exceptional plays with ease on a regular basis. They lift their team upwards each season. Generally above average competition level. Major impact and/or exceptional production year after year. Carrière of excellence, often filled with individual and collective honors. Hall of fame almost assured very early in career.
Ex.: P. Bure, S. Yzerman, J. Sakic, P. Forsberg, N. MacKinnon, P. Kane, N. Kucherov, A. Matthews, Q. Hughes, C. Chelios, C. Pronger, A. Vasilevskiy, C. Helleybuck, etc.
1. Macklin Celebrini (1st)
Celebrini will only be 19 next June, he is close to a point per game, plays on 200 feet, and is already the best player on his team. The young man is producing beyond the expectations of the most optimistic, who had given him about 60 points in 80 games. A very serious candidate for the Calder, in addition to being similar in style and temperament, Celebrini could have a career relatively comparable to those of Yzerman and Sakic, respectively the 7th and 10th best scorers of all time.
No disagreement with Pronman here. The native of North Vancouver appears to us to be the safest bet with the highest potential on this list.
2. Connor Bedard (3rd)
Connor Bedard probably doesn’t have enough qualities to become a generational player as many anticipated. He possesses a rather unique shot arsenal, but his speed and size, which were not problems at the junior level, prevent him from establishing himself so clearly and consistently in the NHL. Of course, he will become a little faster and a little stronger with the years, but he will never be the offensive reincarnation of McDavid nor a player as complete as Sidney Crosby. Presently, we see more of a right-handed Auston Matthews who is very poorly surrounded at 5’10.
That said, he should have 100-point seasons one day or another.
On this matter, the next player on our list would have helped him reach that goal even faster…
3. Ivan Demidov (16th)
If the Hawks are not already seriously questioning their choice at 2nd overall in 2024, they should! Demidov is currently the best player outside of the NHL. This should not be the case for long, however, as the Canadiens reserve him a lovely spot well within their top two lines starting fall 2025. Lane Hutson revolutionized the Canadiens’ defense from his very first strides with the team. Demidov should do the same with the offense.
A true magician with the puck and an intense player over 200 feet, we don’t exactly know what Demidov, at 19, the best points producer per 60 minutes in the KHL, concedes to Bedard and Celebrini in terms of talent. We just can’t wait to be able to compare them on an NHL ice rink. In our eyes, he is in the same “elite” category and he is already physically stronger than the other two. Let’s just say that this seems to be quite a tight top-3…
Let’s also remember that the main interested party sees himself as a “franchise player” without the slightest hesitation (7 min 30 sec.)!
Everyone cried scandal (rightly so!) because Pronman ranked Hutson 39th, but placing Demidov at 16th behind Guenther and Johnston, among others, is also not going to age well for this list from The Athletic’s expert…
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4. Lane Hutson (39th)
If any of Luke Hughes, Jake Sanderson, Zeev Buium, Sam Dickinson, Owen Power, Artyom Levshunov, Brock Faber, Carter Yakemchuk, Anton Silayev, Brandt Clarke, and Zayne Parekh, has a better career than Lane Hutson, that would already be something for Pronman who ranked them all ahead of the Canadiens’ #48.
But the problem is that it very likely won’t happen!
Among them, it is probably Hutson who stood out the most at the junior/NCAA level (honorable mention to Buium) and, among those involved, he is the one having the best start at the pro level!
With what we know and see daily, should Lane Hutson be more part of the “superstar” category or the “Bubble top and middle of the lineup player” category?
That’s the question…
In this world, Hutson is even outright better than all the players that Pronman has ranked in his “superstar” category, from Leo Carlsson to Lucas Raymond, including Luke Hughes and Matvei Michkov!
In our view, Hutson can therefore be anticipated right now as an “elite” player, capable of regularly making unbelievable plays for the average person, just like the three others who precede him on this list.
Even the venerable Scotty Bowman – always very perceptive and who has had his nose in hockey since the world began – dares to rank him in the same category as… Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes!
And Corey Pronman ranks him 39th? FAR behind Matty Beniers (17th), Owen Power (18th), Kent Johnson (24th), and Shane Wright (26th)?
This isn’t made up. This is hallucination.
Basically, don’t be like the Utah Hockey Club and “sleep on Hutson” as the “Americans” say…
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Category “Superstar”
Players with similar qualities but generally often just a little less complete, consistent, and dominant than the elite. Production generally well above average. Superb careers marked by more pronounced dominant or productive periods. Ideally “second-best players” on aspiring or championship teams. Strong chances of individual honors and/or Hall of Fame access.
Ex.: J. Tavares, M. Tkachuk, W. Nylander, E. Karlsson, P.K. Subban, K. Letang, S. Weber, H. Lundqvist, S. Bobrovsky, etc.
5. Cole Hutson (95th)
Despite what Pronman may think, Lane and Cole’s parents had the very good idea to procreate!
They have thus ensured financial health for future generations while providing hockey fans with years of bliss.
Cole Hutson was 8th on my personal list last June. To my knowledge, no one had ranked him that high.
We know how it went. The Caps eventually picked him at the 43rd pick and must now be rubbing their hands together thinking about the future. We actually can’t wait to see if Cole imitates his brother by playing two years in college or if he makes the jump to the NHL as early as 2025.
In addition to having a very good season at BU, the “other brother” broke the record for most points by an American defenseman during a WJC. Hutson likely should have won the title of MVP of the tournament, ultimately awarded to Ryan Leonard, another Caps prospect…
Cole is Lane, only a bit more sturdy and a little less electrifying with the puck, but no less effective. He has, among other things, a better shot than Lane and is a bit more fluid on skates in every direction.
Some like “Snake” think Cole will be slightly better than Lane, others think the opposite. But everyone agrees that the difference between the two is probably minuscule, hence my ranking!
So where is Cole on Pronman’s list? That’s right, at 95th, in the “middle of the lineup” category, just like when he ranked Lane 87th!
Betting against Lane and Cole Hutson is a very bad idea every day of the year. You win with guys like that, proud, hard-working, proud, serious, tenacious, and incredibly talented players.
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6. Zeev Buium (8th)
Speaking of winners, Buium, the winner of the last Frozen Four and the last two WJCs, was my favorite defenseman from the last draft. Buium continues to excel with Denver this season, but as we saw at the WJC in Ottawa, he seems to have at least been matched by Cole Hutson over the past few months. He remains quite a selection by the Wild, while the Flyers preferred to trade their pick at 12th for the 13th pick (Jett Luchanko) and a 3rd round pick in 2025…
7. Tim Stützle (2nd)
We don’t quite understand why or how the prospects expert from The Athletic could place Stützle ahead of Bedard (3rd) in his last evaluation, but oh well…
Stützle has always had the talent of a superstar, but in addition to not having the shot of Celebrini or Bedard, he doesn’t seem to have the mindset of an “elite” player or an “elite” leader. That is where the difference lies between him and the Celebrini-Bedard duo, with whom Pronman dares to rank him.
More of a passer than a scorer, the dynamic German remains a superb skater and an excellent puck handler. We’re not sure if he is evolving in a favorable and optimal environment and culture for his career with the Sens, but to become a winner, he will need to continue his defensive progress and stop diving like in, you know, the other sport…
8. Adam Fantilli (10th)
Nothing too remarkable for now, but when Fantilli, 6’2, nearly 200 lbs, learns how to properly use all his tools at the NHL level, he could become one of the best forwards. All things being equal, this is somewhat what Nathan MacKinnon managed to do in his fifth season in the big league. The Ontarian has an excellent mentor in front of him in Columbus in Sean Monahan and like many dynamic young forwards with multiple talents, everything should fall into place in due time.
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Category “Star / top player”
Players well above average, with a good number of dominant qualities or several nice qualities, but who will not necessarily carry their team on their shoulders night after night. Significant impact and abundant and consistent production without being “exceptional” over a good number of years. Very nice career. Aspiring or championship teams often rely on several players in this category.
Ex.: V. Damphousse, N. Suzuki, C. Caufield, K. Connor, P. Kessel, M. Scheifele, A. Markov, M. Schneider, J. Quick, etc.
9. Juraj Slafkovsky (14th)
The fact that he played for a good month with a completely dormant Kirby Dach probably plays a part, but good Juraj isn’t quite having the hoped-for season so far. He hasn’t been able to regain his sustained rhythm of nearly a point per game from the second half of 23-24. His confidence and creativity with the puck fluctuate, but generally speaking, he is improving and is establishing very nice chemistry with his teammates, especially Caufield.
That said, if he was able to maintain this rhythm for such a long period at 19 in his first real complete season, we can certainly imagine that he should be able to regain and even surpass that standard in the near future… After a very promising rookie year at 19 (48 points in 76 games) Matthew Tkachuk also plateaued a bit at 20 (49 points in 68 games) before unlocking at 21 (77 points) and ultimately reaching a whole new level at 24 (104 points)…
Slaf still has chances to reach the “superstar” or “game breaker” level; he regularly shows flashes when he “gets angry,” but let’s remain slightly conservative for now…
10. Lucas Raymond (9th)
Another player who experienced a slight decline in his second full season at 20, Raymond, a brilliant forward, bounced back the following season and quickly became a player averaging a point per game. We rank him behind Slaf because of their very different but roughly equal talents; we think that the physical strength of the latter will allow him to exceed the small winger from the Wings in a playoff context. Anyway, as of today, I wouldn’t want the CH to trade the Slovakian for the Swede one for one…
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11. Beckett Sennecke (21st)
Dominant in the second half of the season during his draft year, Sennecke continues his total domination in the OHL in 2024-2025.
The Ontarian was foolishly overlooked by Team Canada’s junior team and the (too) thinking heads of the organization fully got what they deserved a few weeks later when they were eliminated in the quarter-finals.
Sennecke is 6’4 and nearly 200 lbs of poetry on ice. Fluid on skates, soft hands, devastating shot, the Ducks tried to hit a home run with the biggest “riser” of the last draft. Even if they could have opted for Demidov, they will not leave empty-handed with the player from the Oshawa Generals.
We’ll see if all this poetry can translate into production at the NHL level…
12. Logan Cooley (13th)
Cooley is an electrifying player with a puck on his stick and seems to have progressed when he hasn’t. A bit in the same mold as his teammate Clayton Keller but more dynamic, the American now listed at 6’0 and 191 lbs will become an annual point-per-game player. But when mature, will he have a bigger impact on, say, a playoff hockey game than a Slafkovsky?
13. Brock Faber (23rd)
According to some, Faber deserved more consideration for the Rookie of the Year title in 2023-2024. The 45th overall pick in 2020 continues in the same vein this season within a very good team in Minnesota. Good in all phases of the game, his offensive potential, however, remains clearly inferior to that of the defensemen who precede him on this list.
14. Dylan Guenther (11th)
The winger from Edmonton was having quite a season under the orders of André Tourigny in Utah before getting injured last week. This followed an excellent second half in 2023-2024. Guenther, a very complete winger with a blazing and precise shot, is just getting started filling the net with Keller and Cooley to feed him… A future 40-goal scorer.
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15. Matvei Michkov (15th)
The talent alone forbids us from excluding Michkov from this top-15. The controversial forward has all the tools to become an annual 40-goal scorer and a player of over a point per game. But will he learn not to be a liability defensively? Does he have the will to become a more complete player? Will he be a good teammate?
So many questions…
If things don’t work out for him in Philadelphia, maybe some teams will want to give him another chance, but he is exactly the kind of player who might have to continue his journey in the KHL if he ends up burning too many bridges in America…
Honorable mentions: Luke Hughes (5th), Jake Sanderson (7th), and Seth Jarvis (25th) could also have earned a spot in this top-15. We see them as “star” players or future stars. Leo Carlsson? Maybe…
Conclusion
Whether we agree with this ranking or Pronman’s ranking, we are always here to have fun comparing ideas, let’s not forget that!
But I just didn’t understand how Pronman could justify his, even in terms of his top-15. We could still go on about it, Carlsson at 4th, among other things…
But let’s stick to the players from the Habs.
No matter the exact ranking, it’s still okay for Slaf at 14th, but in light of their respective achievements and glaring talent, there is no valid reason to exclude Demidov and Hutson from a top-15 of the best players under 23.
They are “elite” players or at minimum “superstar” potentials.
And if I’m mostly right, this heralds great things for your local team…
