Corey Pronman releases another 2024 draft list

[Marc the Habs Fan]

Tier 1: Celebrini
Tier 2: Silayev, Dickinson, Yakemchuk, Levshunov
Tier 3: Catton, Demidov, Lindstrom
Tier 4: Parekh, Buium, Helenius, Jiricek, Eiserman
Tier 5: Iginla and MBN are in there
Tier 6: Rest of the list with Greentree, Connelly, Boisvert and Kiviharju being some of the names

Compared to his last rankings, Lindstrom goes from tier 2 to tier 3 as the mystery and silence continues around his injury and Dickinson goes from tier 3 to tier 2.

Click to read more...

 

[Siludin]

I dunno if I am buying all of these incremental Eiserman drops but whatever.

 

[BLNY]

I dunno if I am buying all of these incremental Eiserman drops but whatever.

Aside from lack of size, the greatest concern with Caufield was that he was a one-trick pony. He hasn't let goal struggles this year slow him down and he's developing a very solid play making ability. Caufield will never be able to battle in the corners, but he's working on getting in there, underneath bigger players, and stealing pucks.

With the right teacher, I have faith that Eiserman can develop the other parts of his game. He's committed to a great program at BU, where I expect he'd play a year. I'd have no qualms about Montreal taking him, and feel good about MSL being the right teacher at the pro level.

 

[gifted88]

Are they just ranked in tiers or are they ranked within those tiers?

 

[Juxtaposer]

Are they just ranked in tiers or are they ranked within those tiers?

They’re ranked in tiers. Imagine the order that the OP wrote the names within the tier has meaning.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Aside from lack of size, the greatest concern with Caufield was that he was a one-trick pony. He hasn't let goal struggles this year slow him down and he's developing a very solid play making ability. Caufield will never be able to battle in the corners, but he's working on getting in there, underneath bigger players, and stealing pucks.

With the right teacher, I have faith that Eiserman can develop the other parts of his game. He's committed to a great program at BU, where I expect he'd play a year. I'd have no qualms about Montreal taking him, and feel good about MSL being the right teacher at the pro level.

Pronman had Caufield top 4 in that draft pretty sure

 

[57special]

Pronman had Caufield top 4 in that draft pretty sure

That's when he liked little guys. Now he's on a big guy kick.

He's gone very vanilla on this list, with the exception of Eiserman. I don't mind it. Surprised that Parascak didn't make into the 1st round. He will likely put up 100 points this year in the WHL.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I find the top half of his rankings a lot better than the second half. Seems like everyone agrees on who the best players in this draft are and then there’s a huge variance in opinion for the second half of the first round.

 

[austin63867]

How does he have Silayev as having "below average" puck skills but also has the puck moving ability to be a future #1 defenseman?

 

[SlafySZN]

I like Silayev but i’ve watched him almost every game this year and i don’t really get why he’s in tier 2. I mean, yes i understand the size, the potential of a bigger dman like him but he doesn’t have any elite traits other than the size and skating.

 

[David Suzuki]

Not sure why Lindstrom being injured would really drop your evaluation of him as a scout unless you assume it's an injury that will prohibit his further growth.

 

[SlafySZN]

Not sure why Lindstrom being injured would really drop your evaluation of him as a scout unless you assume it's an injury that will prohibit his further growth.

Agree. The number of games he played is enough to make a pretty good idea of him.

I’d assume we’ll see him in the playoffs or U18

 

[Stewie Griffin]

I like Silayev but i’ve watched him almost every game this year and i don’t really get why he’s in tier 2. I mean, yes i understand the size, the potential of a bigger dman like him but he doesn’t have any elite traits other than the size and skating.

That's what makes this such an interesting draft. If Levshunov doesn't pan out is he like a Ristolainen defender? Does Dickinson have a high enough upside? Other than Celebrini everyone has something holding them back. In Silayev's case, yes it's the puck skills...but even if those don't improve he's going to be one of the toughest defenders to play against given his reach/hitting/skating combo. So with that said, (keep in mind I'm a big Levshunov fan)...for all those GMs who think Levshunov can improve his decision making, those GMs will also bank on Silayev improving his puck skills.

Obviously there's a ton of risk at 2nd overall, but that's what's going to make this top 5 very interesting. The teams drafting 5-10 have it a little bit easier, because they get to take who falls, but whoever loses the lottery out of CHI, SJS, ANA, or CBJ have a lot to lose if they mess up their pick.

 

[SlafySZN]

That's what makes this such an interesting draft. If Levshunov doesn't pan out is he like a Ristolainen defender? Does Dickinson have a high enough upside? Other than Celebrini everyone has something holding them back. In Silayev's case, yes it's the puck skills...but even if those don't improve he's going to be one of the toughest defenders to play against given his reach/hitting/skating combo. So with that said, (keep in mind I'm a big Levshunov fan)...for all those GMs who think Levshunov can improve his decision making, those GMs will also bank on Silayev improving his puck skills.

Obviously there's a ton of risk at 2nd overall, but that's what's going to make this top 5 very interesting. The teams drafting 5-10 have it a little bit easier, because they get to take who falls, but whoever loses the lottery out of CHI, SJS, ANA, or CBJ have a lot to lose if they mess up their pick.

I agree, it’s gonna be very interesting.

I can’t say who out of all of the defensemen gonna be the best, it can be Parekh for all we know because at least he has his elite offense and a good enough brain to learn the defensive side.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Pronman had Caufield top 4 in that draft pretty sure

5th actually, after Hughes, Kakko, Turcotte and Byram.

That's what makes this such an interesting draft. If Levshunov doesn't pan out is he like a Ristolainen defender? Does Dickinson have a high enough upside? Other than Celebrini everyone has something holding them back. In Silayev's case, yes it's the puck skills...but even if those don't improve he's going to be one of the toughest defenders to play against given his reach/hitting/skating combo. So with that said, (keep in mind I'm a big Levshunov fan)...for all those GMs who think Levshunov can improve his decision making, those GMs will also bank on Silayev improving his puck skills.

Obviously there's a ton of risk at 2nd overall, but that's what's going to make this top 5 very interesting. The teams drafting 5-10 have it a little bit easier, because they get to take who falls, but whoever loses the lottery out of CHI, SJS, ANA, or CBJ have a lot to lose if they mess up their pick.

Worth noting there's about a 40% chance none of those teams draft first, even if they finish bottom 4.

 

[coooldude]

The point was made on the Sharks board that if you pick 2-4, given how big the next two tiers are behind Celebrini, the likelihood that someone you passed on does better than your pick is nearing 100%.

 

[BerthMania]

How does he have Silayev as having "below average" puck skills but also has the puck moving ability to be a future #1 defenseman?

Someone made the same point in the comments and Pronman said it was a mistake and he will correct it

Not sure why Lindstrom being injured would really drop your evaluation of him as a scout unless you assume it's an injury that will prohibit his further growth.

In my view, the fact that we have a small sample of games makes us less sure about his capacity to reproduces the success he had early this season.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Worth noting there's about a 40% chance none of those teams draft first, even if they finish bottom 4.

Yeah but they will be the teams drafting 3-5 unless there's a huge change in the standings to end the season. My point was picks 2-5 could end up looking really bad in a few years because of how open this draft is, so it's gonna be difficult for the teams in that range.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Tier 1: Celebrini (NCAA)
Tier 2: Silayev (KHL), Dickinson (OHL), Yakemchuk (WHL), Levshunov (NCAA)
Tier 3: Catton (WHL), Demidov (MHL), Lindstrom (WHL)
Tier 4: Parekh (OHL), Buium (NCAA), Helenius (Liiga), Jiricek (Extrliga), Eiserman (USNDTP)

One of the things that makes scouting trickier these days, players are really scattered all over. Compare this to the 1987 Draft where the first 18 picks, and 20/21 first rounders were in the QMJHL, OHL or WHL.

 

[majormajor]

One of the things that makes scouting trickier these days, players are really scattered all over. Compare this to the 1987 Draft where the first 18 picks, and 20/21 first rounders were in the QMJHL, OHL or WHL.

They were already scattered all over in 1987, scouts just didn't watch the ones that lived far away.

Did they have onhockey.tv back then? I'll be flipping between WHL games later.

Heck I can't imagine scouting without the CHL tv package. You'd spend most of your time in the car and in diners.

 

[BLNY]

Pronman had Caufield top 4 in that draft pretty sure

Most of the scouts had him as a top 4 talent, but knocked him out of the top 10 because of his lack of size.

A lot of scouts get enamored by the late risers. Intentionally or not, they become jaded/bored by people they've seen a lot of. It's "new toy excitement". Sometimes it's warranted, other times ...

Eiserman may not have built on his first Dev team season, but the whole team is producing less. Last year's team was stacked.

 

[David Suzuki]

Agree. The number of games he played is enough to make a pretty good idea of him.

I’d assume we’ll see him in the playoffs or U18

yeah seems like a really poor process if you’re going to change your evaluation on a mid season injury

 

[FlyguyOX]

Most of the scouts had him as a top 4 talent, but knocked him out of the top 10 because of his lack of size.

A lot of scouts get enamored by the late risers. Intentionally or not, they become jaded/bored by people they've seen a lot of. It's "new toy excitement". Sometimes it's warranted, other times ...

Eiserman may not have built on his first Dev team season, but the whole team is producing less. Last year's team was stacked.

Idk I might compare eiserman fall to a guy like Raty

 

[Kraken Jokes]

I see 2-10 pretty much all in the same tier, despite my own preferences. We have a good idea who will be in that group but it really could go in any order.

My biggest disagreement with Pronman is Yakemchuk being amongst that group.

 

[Blue Chip Prospect]

He’s not usually the biggest fan of smaller player. I’m happy to see he recognizes that Catton is an all around extremely talented player.

I now have him 2nd on my board. All season I switched him and Dickinson between 3rd and 4th but I pushed that up even more recently.