The Athletic Hockey Show – Prospect Series
Episode: Macklin Celebrini tops Pronman’s latest U23 rankings
Date: January 16, 2026
Host: Max Boldman
Panel: Corey Pronman (The Athletic), Scott Wheeler (The Athletic), Chris Peters (Flow Hockey)
Episode Overview
This episode is the annual deep dive into Corey Pronman’s midseason update of the top NHL players and prospects under 23 years old. The panel unpacks Corey's latest rankings, debates tier placement, future projections, and how a new crop of talent is reshaping a handful of NHL rebuilds—especially with Macklin Celebrini landing at #1. The episode is a lively, detailed "fisking" of the list, with serious analysis, passionate disagreements, and playful banter.
Main Discussion Points
1. The Top of the U23 Rankings — Celebrini, Bedard, Carlson
- Corey's Top 3: Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard, Leo Carlson.
- Considered a "no-brainer trio" by the panel.
- Scott Wheeler flags Matthew Schaefer at #4 as his main contention.
“Matthew Schaefer not in the elite NHL player tier projection… I think the sky's the limit for Matthew Schaefer.” — Scott Wheeler (02:35)
- Schaefer’s skating grade („above average“ rather than “elite“) is especially debated.
Schaefer’s Placement and Tier Debate
- Scott: Feels Schaefer’s in the Norris Trophy contender trajectory, with “world class” skating.
- Corey: Acknowledges Schaefer’s spectacular NHL rookie season, but wants a larger sample size before elevating him fully into the elite tier.
“He was right on the precipice... but I just wanted a little bit more before I said, like, he's in the same group as, like, a Bedard.” — Corey Pronman (03:44)
- The list is about future projection, not just rookie year performance (05:15).
2. The Projection Principle of the List
- List’s Objective: Who will be most impactful over the next decade-plus, not “who’s best now.”
- Mixes NHL rookies, veterans, and players who haven’t debuted yet (05:31).
- Point of debate: Comparing established NHLers to undebuted prospects; necessary, as NHL teams must make these calls in real-time trades.
3. The Middle of the Rankings: Debates and Debacles
Cooley vs. Slafkovsky, and the 2023 Draft Class
- Chris Peters claims victory in back-and-forth debates over Logan Cooley vs. Juraj Slafkovsky.
- Corey: “I still think it's really close… two very different players. Cooley, the elite play-driving centerman; Slafkovsky, now a powerful winger with increasing offensive upside.” (07:31)
“They might flip flop as the years go on. But right now, Cooley, just because he's a center, I would, I would get the slight edge to him.” — Corey Pronman (07:31)
Matvei Michkov’s Slide Down the List
- Michkov now at #20: Still seen as high-end, but issues like skating, effort, and inconsistency have cooled projections.
“With Michkov, what you're worrying is not if whether the offense is going to be there... is it going to be special enough to compensate for some of the headaches?” — Corey Pronman (10:43)
- Scott: Doesn't foresee Michkov sliding below certain peers, but acknowledges fitness, usage, and consistency issues (12:18).
Ryan Leonard’s Rise
- Mentioned as now sitting a couple spots ahead of Michkov—highlighting how fluid these lists remain post-draft.
4. Prospect Evaluation Challenges: Anton Frondell and Michael Misa
Anton Frondell: Lower than Expected?
- At #44 despite a strong World Juniors and SHL first half.
“He has some incredible stretches… and then you don’t really notice him.” — Corey Pronman (16:58)
- Scott & Chris: Cite concerns about pace, playmaking, and Frondell’s actual position (mostly a winger despite being listed as a center).
- Corey: Struggles with Frondell’s Jekyll-and-Hyde inconsistency. Ready to revisit projection if he sustains high-end play into next year.
Michael Misa: Tough to Rally Behind
- Despite special moments, both Chris and Corey feel Misa rarely takes over games (21:33).
“He's one of those players that, similar to Frondell, there's a lot of tough evals in there. I'm never blown away. I'm always left wanting more.” — Chris Peters (21:33)
- Discussion on Saginaw’s roster and whether Misa is “the guy” or a 2nd/3rd banana on a contending team.
- Max recalls past panel debate: Corey argued Schaefer and Misa didn’t belong in the same tier—was outvoted at the time (23:09).
5. Risers and the Russian Influx
Igor Chernyshov’s Breakout
- Chernyshov (San Jose 2024 pick) now ranked #19, even slotting ahead of Michkov.
“He's producing in the NHL… It's a direct style of play. It's a toolkit that you know is going to translate.” — Corey Pronman (28:20, paraphrased)
Rising Russian Prospects
- Roman Kantserov (#23), Igor Surin (#34), Alexander Zhurovsky (#39):
- Russian league data can be opaque, making big mid-season jumps possible.
- Some are among best KHL players despite youth.
- Panel notes: the SHL is generally a weaker league, so KHL production is weighted heavily (30:24).
- Zhurovsky’s skills: “top six caliber tools to go with his skating and size.” — Corey Pronman (31:10)
- “Biggest risers from across the board for me have been Russians”—due partly to uncertainty and limited cross-competition, but also a “new world order” in drafting strategy (32:10).
6. Rebuilds and Team Pathways
The Big 4: Montreal, Chicago, Utah, San Jose
- Max: “Montreal, Chicago, Utah and San Jose are the most exciting rebuilds in the league.” (33:08)
- Scott: San Jose “maybe has the clearest path… Like, the road in front of them is probably most open.” (34:00)
- Celebrini is overhauling the Sharks’ trajectory, on par with a Crosby/McDavid franchise-changer.
- Chernyshov now regarded as a “potential top line winger… an essential part of the Sharks' build.”
- Montreal: Deep, including Slavkofsky, Demidov, Lane Hutson, Zhurovsky, and Michael Hage.
- Chicago: Could be picking top 3 again; several high-potential prospects, but star-quality still being debated.
- Utah: Mentioned as up-and-coming but lacking a major Russian riser.
Need for Defense and Goalie Clarity
- San Jose needs at least one more high-end defenseman; debate on whether current or upcoming draft classes can provide a true #1 D (38:00).
- Only Montreal possibly still lacks an unquestioned future starter in goal; Jacob Fowler's omission from Corey's list sparks spirited debate (39:44–42:50).
7. Notable Name Debates
Jacob Fowler (Montreal, G, not ranked)
- Scott: Believes Fowler is a future #1, top-3 in his age group. “...there’s just a five or six year track record now that is pretty unimpeachable.” (39:47)
- Corey: Seeks more NHL data, concerned by lack of elite athletic traits and size. Compares profile to Jeremy Swayman, leaves the door open to upgrading projection. (40:42 onward)
- Chris: Points out excellent hockey sense as the separator; Scott argues Fowler is clearly much bigger than prior “undersized goalie” worries.
Gabe Perreault (NYR, winger, lower than expected)
- Scott: Shocked by 80-place gap between Perreault and similar wingers like Zhurovsky; maintains Perreault is still a future high-end NHL winger. (43:25)
- Corey: Cites skating as the “big differentiator” and almost left Perreault off the list entirely (45:15).
- Scott: “I’m still very confident that Gabe becomes a 60, 70 point winger in the NHL.”
8. Teams in Trouble
- Ottawa, Philadelphia, Winnipeg, Vancouver — flagged for poor U23 depth and uncertain 5-year horizons.
- Ottawa: Only young talent is Yakemchuk, but some hope due to expected goals and on-ice youth.
- Philly: Lacking high-end talent, risk of two top-12 picks yielding “third line centers at best.” (46:07)
- Winnipeg: Not much coming, aging roster, current top picks underperforming (47:13).
- Vancouver: Labeled “so, so, so far to go,” especially compared to the “Big 4” (46:07).
- Scott trivia moment: Has any team ever dropped from President’s Trophy to dead last? Winnipeg might (48:23).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Scott Wheeler on Schaefer: "I think if he's not [an elite player] already, he's close… I think the sky's the limit for Matthew Schaefer. I think we're looking at a player who's going to win Norris Trophies in this league…" (02:35)
- Corey Pronman on player projection: "I'm looking at who do I want in my NHL organization for the next decade. Plus, I'm looking at guys who I think will have the most impactful pro careers." (05:31)
- Chris Peters on Cooley: “What I think he has become is a really strong all-around player. He is continually, you know, upping the competitive drive that I think... how was it going to translate at the NHL level? I think we've seen that." (08:11)
- Corey on Michkov: "He's super skilled… when the puck's on his stick in the offensive zone, you love him. When he's on the power play, you love him. But… there are things about his game that will frustrate you and has frustrated now several coaches." (10:43)
Timestamps of Major Segments
- 02:00 — Episode intro, opening remarks about Pronman’s U23 list
- 02:35 — Matthew Schaefer debate (elite tier/skating)
- 05:15 — Clarifying list philosophy: projection vs. current product
- 06:27 — Cooley, Slafkovsky, Wright, and ongoing draft class debates
- 10:26 — Matvei Michkov’s status and projections
- 16:10 — Anton Frondell’s ranking and evaluation concerns
- 21:33 — Michael Misa discussion (live vs. video scouting, upside)
- 28:20 — Igor Chernyshov’s meteoric rise, Sharks prospects
- 30:24 — Russian risers: Kantserov, Surin, Zhurovsky
- 33:08 — The state of the top rebuilding teams: Montreal, Chicago, Utah, San Jose
- 39:44 — Jacob Fowler goalie debate
- 43:25 — Gabe Perreault vs. other “skill wingers”
- 46:03 — Teams in trouble: Ottawa, Philly, Winnipeg, Vancouver
- 48:23 — Winnipeg’s potential crash; President’s Trophy trivia
Tone & Conclusion
The conversation balances Corey's deliberate, methodical ranking philosophy against Scott's and Chris’s spirited counterpoints. There’s deep respect for emerging data, but also plenty of intuition and skepticism about raw production vs. projection. The mood is fast-paced, occasionally combative (but friendly), with in-jokes, humility about past misses, and clear-eyed analysis of both star power and structural holes across NHL teams.
Final take: The race for the U23 crown is tighter and more dynamic than ever, with the San Jose Sharks as perhaps the league’s most exciting young nucleus—if they can fill out the blue line. Russians are re-surging. Goaltenders and skill wingers remain lightning-rod issues for scouts. If you care about where NHL remains and is headed, this annual special is must-listen (or must-read).
For full player rankings and team-by-team breakdowns, read Corey Pronman’s article at The Athletic.