Lafreniére, Kakko, Break Top-20 In Corey Pronman's U23 Player Ranking

[Phil]

Quote

6. Alexis Lafreniere, LW, New York Rangers

Oct. 11, 2001 | 6-foot-1 | 193 pounds

Drafted: No. 1 in 2020

Tier: Projected bubble elite NHL player and NHL All-Star

Skating: Below-average
Puck Skills: Above-average
Hockey Sense: Above-average
Compete: Above-average
Shot: Above-average

Lafreniere didn’t have the ideal rookie NHL season, but 21 points in 56 games is nothing to sneeze at and I still see a player on track to become a big time NHL forward. He’s a very dangerous player with the puck because of his fantastic puck skills and vision, while his shot is also a threat from range. The dynamic aspects of his game were inconsistent last season, but I fully expect with more physical maturity you’ll see a more consistently dangerous Lafreniere in the coming years. He’s a hard worker off the puck who doesn’t shy from the physical play, but the main issue for him in the NHL is his lack of footspeed was exposed, especially as a teenager. That may keep him from ever hitting the top echelon of production, but I still see an eventual NHL star winger.

Quote

20. Kaapo Kakko, RW, New York Rangers

Feb. 13, 2001 | 6-foot-2 | 194 pounds

Drafted: No. 2 in 2019

Tier: Projected bubble All-Star and top of lineup player

Skating: Below-average
Puck Skills: Above-average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Average

Kakko repeated his scoring rate from his first season. I know he’s frustrated scouts and fans alike, but I still think he’s going to be a great NHL player in time — even if the likelihood of him becoming a true star seems to be declining. He has fantastic one-on-one skills and, with his reach, you can see him fooling NHL defensemen for a long time. He can make plays and score around the hard areas of the ice. Kakko’s skating has never been a strength, but in Finland I saw this highly competitive bulldog winger who powered his way to chances, and that aspect hasn’t been as noticeable in the NHL. I think he works off the puck but that aspect hasn’t translated like I thought it would. I see a first-line winger in the NHL, but he may not be a true impact guy.

https://theathletic.com/2804584/2021/09/07/ranking-the-best-under-23-nhl-players-does-cale-makar-or-andrei-svechnikov-top-the-list/?source=emp-shared-article

[Pete]

So top players but mostly average...?

[josh]

Where's the list?

[Scott]

That's um, some glowing report on Kakko.  If that kind of write up gets you there I'm anxious to see the whole list as well.  Seems perfectly average on average. 

[Phil]

Other Rangers in the list:

Quote

48. Filip Chytil, C, New York Rangers

Sept. 5, 1999 | 6-foot-1 | 178 pounds

Drafted: No. 21 in 2017

Tier:  Projected bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: Above-average
Puck Skills: Average
Hockey Sense: Below-average
Compete: Average

Chytil has been in the league for a while, logging 200 games before his 22nd birthday so it’s easy to forget how young he is despite the fact he hasn’t had a huge season in the NHL yet. Chytil’s toolkit is easy to dream on. A center who has high-end speed and skill with decent size is a player you can easily envision doing a lot of damage in the NHL. He’s not the most natural playmaker and off the puck he’s just fine, which can frustrate scouts over the years. He may not be a true future 1C, maybe more a 2C or a very good top-six wing if that’s how a coach prefers to use his speed, but I still think his best days are ahead of him.

Quote

50. Nils Lundkvist, RHD, New York Rangers

July 27, 2000 | 5-foot-11 | 180 pounds

Drafted: No. 28 in 2018

Tier: Projected bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: Average
Puck Skills: Below-average
Hockey Sense: Above-average
Compete: Average
Shot: Above-average

Lundkvist had another strong season in Sweden, as he was named defenseman of the year and excelled with Sweden’s senior team. He makes so many plays on the ice. He has quality mobility for the NHL level and a hard point shot, but his playmaking and sense are what drive his game. He makes so many subtle and difficult plays all over the ice that lead to offense. You can easily envision him helping an NHL power play. He’s not that big and I would say his game is more offense tilted than defensive, but with his skating he should hold up enough in the NHL to be a good top four defenseman.

Quote

67. Braden Schneider, RHD, New York Rangers

Sept. 20, 2001 | 6-foot-2 | 202 pounds

Drafted: No. 19 in 2020

Tier: Projected bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: Average
Puck Skills: Below-average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Above-average

Schneider was named the best defenseman in the WHL and earned an invite to Canada’s World Championship team as a 19-year-old. He projects as a tough minutes NHL defenseman because he’s a 6-foot-2, mobile, physical player. He closes on checks very well and is hard to play against. The offensive components of his game don’t pop, but he can skate pucks out of trouble, makes a good first pass and shows flashes of puck skills. He should have just enough offensive touch to be a solid top-four defenseman who can play against good players.

Quote

72. Zac Jones, LHD, New York Rangers

Oct. 18, 2000 | 5-foot-10 | 172 pounds

Drafted: No. 68 in 2019

Tier: Projected bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: Above-average
Puck Skills: Below-average
Hockey Sense: Above-average
Compete: Average

Jones had a huge season, as a big part of UMass’ push for a national championship. He then scored a few points in the NHL and was one of USA’s best players at the world championships. His development has been rather promising the last few years as his skating became a clear strength at the NHL level. He’s a mobile defenseman who can skate pucks up ice and evade pressure well, but his biggest strength is his playmaking ability. Jones moves the puck very well, showing great poise and instincts from the blue line. He’s a 5-foot-10 defenseman who will be able to defend well enough because of his feet, but realistically he won’t line up against top players. Even with that in mind, I see a top-four defenseman who can make an impact offensively.

 

Quote

76. K’Andre Miller, LHD, New York Rangers

Jan. 21, 2000 | 6-foot-3 | 206 pounds

Drafted: No. 22 in 2018

Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player

Skating: Average
Puck Skills: Below-average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Above-average
Shot: Above-average

Miller had a great rookie NHL season, playing at times on both special teams for the Rangers and looking like he belonged in the big leagues right from the start. When you have a defenseman his size who can skate well and is a hard-to-play-against defender, you can instantly see how he can make a lot of stops in the NHL. Miller can defend, but the amount of offense he showed was intriguing as a playmaker. He displayed great outlet passes and showed offensive instincts inside the offensive zone to go with a hard point shot. I don’t know if his offense will ever be a selling point, but it should be good enough to be a second-pair defenseman for a while with the possibility to evolve into a true top pair type if the offense ever pops.

Quote

110. Brennan Othmann, LW, New York Rangers

Jan. 5, 2003 | six-foot | 175 pounds

Drafted: No. 16 in 2021

Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player

Skating: Below-average
Puck Skills: Average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Above-average
Shot: Above-average

Othmann went to Switzerland’s second-tier pro league without an OHL season and had an up and down season. At the U18 worlds, he was excellent as one of the better wingers in the tournament, which looked more like his strong underage season. He is a skilled goal-scorer. He has very quick hands to make plays in small areas and beat defenders. He sees the ice well, showing the ability to create offense with his vision. His shot can beat goalies from range and is his main weapon. He competes well enough to win pucks versus men and is quite physical, although he can be a little perimeter. He lacks the ability to separate with his skating, which is his main drawback. Othmann projects as a second-line NHL winger who will score on and irritate opponents.

Quote

129. Vitali Kravtsov, RW, New York Rangers

Dec. 23, 1999 | 6-foot-2 | 170 pounds

Drafted: No. 9 in 2018

Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player

Skating: Below-average
Puck Skills: Average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Below-average

Kravtsov had a better 2020-21 season, playing very well in the KHL and getting 20 games in the NHL to end the season. The skill level he has pops out to you, especially for a big winger. Kravtsov is able to make imaginative dekes through sticks and legs. He’s also a great passer who can hit seams and create for others in the offensive zone. He has size, but Kravtsov is not an overly physical player and his game can lack pace and consistency. He has so much talent that I think he will be a middle-six winger, even with some of the holes in his game.

 

[Keirik]

Weird the6 have Jones ahead of K’Andre but admittedly, I have not read up on Zacs ceiling much. 

[Scott]

on the credibility scale where does Pronman sit these days?

[Pete]

Chytil hockey sense below average.... who'd have thought?

[Cash or Czech]

I read Pronman's summary on our prospects and it reads like someone who looked at a stat sheet and someone else's scouting report. I don't put much weight in his opinions, especially how he ranked certain attributes of platers.

Edited September 10, 2021 by Xander

[Albatrosss]

1 hour ago, Xander said:

I read Pronman's summary on our prospects and it reads like someone who looked at a stat sheet and someone else's scouting report. I don't put much weight in his opinions, especially how he ranked certain attributes of platers.

Exactly.
Kakko’s skating was below average his rookie season. His skating last season improved where i’d say it is average now.  Pronman can go blow a pony

[siddious]

Well he nailed laf’s skating disability. Hopefully that’s something he worked on this off season because I agree, it can be fixed. 

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

Othmann above Kravtsov is a strange one. Or is he just basing this of the potential ceiling of these guys? One guy just got drafted and is still a long way away from the NHL, while Krav is ready for top 6 minutes next season.

I guess he just looked at Krav's box-score because I think that's criminally low for him. His skating is definitely not "below-average".

[siddious]

Yea he doesn’t seem to think much of kravtsov- I think he’s better than he’s giving him credit for 

[josh]

11 hours ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

Othmann above Kravtsov is a strange one. Or is he just basing this of the potential ceiling of these guys? One guy just got drafted and is still a long way away from the NHL, while Krav is ready for top 6 minutes next season.

I guess he just looked at Krav's box-score because I think that's criminally low for him. His skating is definitely not "below-average".

It's pronman. He's just taking stabs based on popular notion in hopes of getting pages clicks. I mean, no Robertson... 

[Flynn]

I swear these guys want more than anything for their pre draft ranking to be correct, almost to the point of ignoring actual game play and production in favor of what they saw when a kid was 16.