The Athletic Hockey Show Macklin Celebrini tops Pronman’s latest U23 rankings
Jan 16, 2026
Join Flow Hockey analyst Chris Peters, who dives into the hotly debated under-23 NHL rankings. They discuss the rise of San Jose's Macklin Celebrini as a potential franchise cornerstone and explore differing opinions on players like Matthew Schaefer and Matvey Michkov. The conversation covers emerging talents from the 2024 draft class and the promising prospects on teams like Montreal and Chicago. Additionally, they tackle concerns around organizational depth for franchises like Philadelphia and Winnipeg, making for a lively and insightful discussion.
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Projection Over Present Performance
- Corey Pronman's U23 list is projection-focused, valuing long-term impact over short-term production.
- He ranks players by who he'd want in his organization for the next decade, not just current performance.
Schaefer Debate: Early Elite Or Needs Time
- Scott Wheeler argued Matthew Schaefer already looks elite and comparable to top defenders despite limited NHL minutes.
- Corey said he nearly elevated Schaefer but wanted a fuller season of data before placing him in the elite tier.
Center Premium In Projections
- Corey placed Logan Cooley above Uri Slavkovsky because centers carry extra value in long-term projections.
- The panel agreed the two remain very close and could flip places over time.