Ranking the best under-23 NHL players: Who tops

[steepdrop]

77. Brandt Clarke, RHD, Los Angeles
Feb. 9, 2003 | 6-foot-2 | 185 pounds
Drafted: No. 8 in 2021
Sept. 2021 Ranking: 47
(Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player or starting goaltender)
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average

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[YP44]

I wonder what justification there was for dropping Clarke 30 spots

 

[Master Yoda]

This ranking is from Corey Pronman in the Athletic.

Ranking the best under-23 NHL players: Who tops the list, Andrei Svechnikov or Jack Hughes?

His rankings are so all over the place, I don't really pay attention to his number rankings.
He does tend to prop up guys that have NHL experience with even decent success.
But no clue how Clarke drops 30 spots when he's having a very good season.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm good with Clarke starting to be the most underrated prospect in the league

 

[funky]

Faber must be dog poo as well.

Fell from 45 to 152

can’t take anything he says to serious

 

[Mats26]

Clarke is the best offensive D man in the OHL, the list is trash.
Starting to get that feeling that the media and prospect rankings are reflecting the fact that the Kings are not delivering the current kids on time. We like to slow roll our guys and some take time i.e Kempe and they want 20\21 year olds in the NHL putting up numbers to justify their "rankings". I wouldn't be surprised if Byfield drops if he is not producing in the NHL next year.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Clarke is the best offensive D man in the OHL, the list is trash.
Starting to get that feeling that the media and prospect rankings are reflecting the fact that the Kings are not delivering the current kids on time. We like to slow roll our guys and some take time i.e Kempe and they want 20\21 year olds in the NHL putting up numbers to justify their "rankings". I wouldn't be surprised if Byfield drops if he is not producing in the NHL next year.

I mean even on this very board you have people going "herp Byfield only has a few points in the AHL this year" completely ignorant of context (ie missing literally months of the season until now) so it's pretty understandable that people three time zones away that can get away with it don't know shit about the Kings.

BUT--we also have yet to pretty much ever prove them wrong, so hopefully these guys do so.

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

Am I reading this wrong though, top players 23 or under, or under 23, in the NHL.......how does Clarke even make the list? Or is it NOT in the NHL ?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Am I reading this wrong though, top players 23 or under, or under 23, in the NHL.......how does Clarke even make the list? Or is it NOT in the NHL ?

He does it as a catch-all 23 years and younger in or out of the NHL with clear preference given to kids in the NHL, which makes sense.

The real question though is with such a good season by Clarke how does he drop 30 spots in 3 months?

 

[GoldenBearHockey]

He does it as a catch-all 23 years and younger in or out of the NHL with clear preference given to kids in the NHL, which makes sense.

The real question though is with such a good season by Clarke how does he drop 30 spots in 3 months?

Got it.....who knows, rankings are like arseholes....everyone is on...err has one.

 

[kilowatt]

21. Byfield
34. Kaliyev
64. Vilardi
77. Clarke
96. Fagemo
104. Turcotte
117. Kupari
129. JAD
134. Kirsanov
147. Thomas
152. Faber

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[YP44]

21. Byfield
34. Kaliyev
64. Vilardi
77. Clarke
96. Fagemo
104. Turcotte
117. Kupari
129. JAD
134. Kirsanov
147. Thomas
152. Faber

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Spence should have been in there too IMO

 

[kingsboy11]

I really don't know why Pronman rates Fagemo so highly. Don't get me wrong I love Fagemo's game, but ahead of Turcotte and Kupari who are both in the NHL right now and Fagemo isn't likely to play unless we get more injuries/covid.

 

[YP44]

I really don't know why Pronman rates Fagemo so highly. Don't get me wrong I love Fagemo's game, but ahead of Turcotte and Kupari who are both in the NHL right now and Fagemo isn't likely to play unless we get more injuries/covid.

great point...surprised he is above JAD

 

[bmr]

I was thinking the same thing but have you watched some of his goals this year? Also familiar with his WJC performance? The dude has some serious scoring ability if he can put it all together. That's probably the reason.

 

[Master Yoda]

I really don't know why Pronman rates Fagemo so highly. Don't get me wrong I love Fagemo's game, but ahead of Turcotte and Kupari who are both in the NHL right now and Fagemo isn't likely to play unless we get more injuries/covid.

And that's with him dropping from #53.

I was thinking the same thing but have you watched some of his goals this year? Also familiar with his WJC performance? The dude has some serious scoring ability if he can put it all together. That's probably the reason.

The same can be said for Turcotte. In terms of sheer numbers, Turcotte's had better AHL numbers than Fagemo while being a year younger.

 

[bmr]

And that's with him dropping from #53.


The same can be said for Turcotte. In terms of sheer numbers, Turcotte's had better AHL numbers than Fagemo while being a year younger.

I'm just talking about goal scoring, not sheer numbers. Fagemo is a better goal scorer than Turcotte up to this point. I think he could benefit by being on the right situation on the Kings. He definitely has some high end talent there.

 

[RonM11]

Clarke is the best offensive D man in the OHL, the list is trash.
Starting to get that feeling that the media and prospect rankings are reflecting the fact that the Kings are not delivering the current kids on time. We like to slow roll our guys and some take time i.e Kempe and they want 20\21 year olds in the NHL putting up numbers to justify their "rankings". I wouldn't be surprised if Byfield drops if he is not producing in the NHL next year.

Least coast bias. I don't even need to look at the list...I know all the Penguin prospects are at the top of the charts.

 

[apocalypse]

He does it as a catch-all 23 years and younger in or out of the NHL with clear preference given to kids in the NHL, which makes sense.

The real question though is with such a good season by Clarke how does he drop 30 spots in 3 months?

Maybe him not making the WJC? That was a snub. Maybe that reflected on this critic's bias that players who don't make the WJC aren't that good.

 

[Herby]

I say this every time that any Pronman rankings come out and he is criticized, but people don't realize how little consensus there are with hockey scouts. Kyle Woodlief used to say the same thing when people criticized his rankings on guys when they were way higher or lower than consensus. If you prefer consensus rankings read publications or lists that poll sometimes dozens of people, that gives you more consensus. There is going to be variance from the consensus when you look at individual lists, and that is what makes them fun and interesting.

10 former or current Wolverines on the list