[sureLoss]

Corey Pronman
November 3 - TSN 1260

https://soundcloud.com/lowdownwithlo...-corey-pronman - starts around the 24:30 minute mark

Draft Tiers

• host opens the interview saying that he is hearing there is a top 2 of McDavid and Eichel, there is a gap to Hanifin, then a drop off to fourth to tenth who are roughly equal - Pronman roughly agrees with this assessment
• just talked to a scout today who said Hanifin is as good, if not better than Ekblad in his draft season. Pronman is not 100% sure if he is there yet
• can make a strong case there is a top three tier in this draft

listener sends in a question asking how many centers does Pronman project to be better than Draisaitl in this draft

• Pronman says McDavid and Eichel for sure. can argue Strome is close or a little better to where Draisaitl was

C Dylan Strome

• host asks how much credit for Strome's sucess should be given to McDavid
• Pronman says Strome is the 2nd line center and they play together on the PP, team at ES has made an effort to seperate the two
• All the ontario scouts he talked to said to watch Strome, he has the talent to go top 5 this year
• he is a dynamic talent, big center with high end offensive skill and high end hockey sense
• Dylan is most certainly an elite prospect in his own right
• Has had some scouts tell him that they would take Strome over Hanifin (not a majority opinion though)

C Pavel Zacha

• zacha is a candidate for top 10, not sure if he is top 5
• has size, great skater, skill, sees the ice really well
• like his intangibles - works hard and comes back on defence
• hasn't gotten off to a scorching start, but if you watch him you see he has all the abilities of a top 10 pick

C Matthew Barzal

• can argue Barzal is lower end of the top 10, maybe 8-12
• maybe last year you could say he is a clear top 10 pick, this year it is not as clear
• very gifted player, former 1st overall WHL Bantam draft player, great skater, great playmaker, works hard
• not a detriment to Barzal's abilities but it is a tough draft class

RW Daniel Sprong

• thinks Sprong is making a case to be a top 8 or even a top 6 pick
• has been really impressive
• maybe one of the top 2 or 3 pure skaters in the draft
• very highly skilled, explosive player. really fun to watch

D Oliver Kylington

• Pronman is a big fan of Oliver Kylington
• puts him close to where Hanifin is
• has already passed point totals for Hedman and Brodin as 17 years old in the SHL
• doesn't think Kylington is as good defensively as Hedman/Brodin was in that league but offensively he is right at their level, if not beyond
• elite skater, very good playmaker, great on the PP, great joining the attack
• thinks he is a high end prospect. in the discussion to be the top defencemen in this draft, but most likely #2

LW Evgeny Svechnikov

• russian kid. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
• been a top prospect for a few years, played two years at u18 for Russia
• big-pretty developed frame already, very skilled
• thinks he will be on Russia's World Junior team this year
• does not scream upside - not an elite offensive talent, but is pretty good
• arguement to be in the middle of the first round/middle low end of the first round

C Travis Konecny

• top guy to watch for
• hasn't gotten to as good a start to the season as last year

C Mitch Marner

• just watched him get back to back hat tricks this weekend
• his puck skills and offensive skills are top 5/6 in this draft class
• very dynamic and exciting forward to watch

also should be noted that Pronman does not believe this draft class to be great. he calls it a good draft class
he doesn't buy all the hype that some have given it